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THUNDER BAY—Municipal leaders are applauding the Ontario government investment of $15 million in ongoing annual funding through the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support (NORDS) Fund to help Northern municipalities continue to improve local infrastructure and support responsible economic growth. As part of its plan to protect Ontario, this funding is supporting good-paying jobs and building stronger Northern communities and a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy.

“Ontario’s Northern communities are an essential part of our province,” said George Pirie, minister of Northern economic development and growth (NEDG). “Making NORDS an ongoing fund means northern municipalities can plan, invest with confidence and maintain the critical infrastructure that resource development operations rely on and ensure benefits are shared close to home.”

The NORDS Fund helps municipalities across Northern Ontario invest in vital infrastructure such as roads and bridges, access new economic opportunities through resource development and mitigate the impacts of resource development on local infrastructure. Resource development operations, such as mining, forestry and agriculture, are an important part of the provincial economy, yet they can also disproportionately impact Northern municipal infrastructure. NORDS helps these municipalities strengthen local infrastructure invest in long-term community growth and support sustainable development.