Mr. Tyler Allsopp, MPP
Bay of Quinte
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A8
Subject: Urgent Need for Provincial Action on Municipal Road Infrastructure in Prince Edward County
Dear Mr. Allsopp,
PECRA is writing to you as concerned residents of Prince Edward County regarding the ongoing and serious deterioration of our municipal road network, and the urgent need for meaningful, sustained, and equitable support from the Province of Ontario.
As you are aware, Prince Edward County is responsible for maintaining over 1,000 kilometres of roadways. According to the County’s 2022 Asset Management Plan, more than 30% of our roads are rated in “poor” or “very poor” condition. This level of degradation not only threatens public safety and increases vehicle repair costs for residents, but it also delays emergency response times and impairs the movement of goods and services throughout the region.
While municipalities are tasked with road maintenance under the Municipal Act, 2001 (S.O. 2001, c. 25), the Province is obligated to provide adequate fiscal tools and transfer payments to enable municipalities to fulfill these obligations. Additionally, the Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, 2015 (S.O. 2015, c. 15) mandates the Province to support the long-term sustainability of Ontario’s public infrastructure—an objective that cannot be met without dedicated and predictable investment in rural road systems.
The Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) and similar programs offer some relief, but these grants are competitive, inconsistent, and grossly inadequate given the scale of the challenge. Relying on one-time or application-based funding leaves rural communities like ours in a precarious and unsustainable position. We need a permanent, needs-based funding framework for road and bridge infrastructure.
Our local property tax base is limited. It is unacceptable that residents in a rural community such as ours—many on fixed incomes—are increasingly being asked to shoulder the financial burden of infrastructure deterioration caused by decades of underfunding.
We urge you, as our Member of Provincial Parliament, to take the following steps:
- Advocate for the creation of a permanent rural roads and bridges fund, indexed to inflation and based on asset condition and road length.
- Support amendments to the Municipal Act that formalize the Province’s role in co-funding essential infrastructure.
- Press for transparency and equity in provincial infrastructure transfers, especially for small and rural municipalities.
This issue is not merely financial; it is one of fairness, public safety, and economic viability. Prince Edward County—and rural Ontario more broadly—deserve the same quality of infrastructure support as urban centres.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. PECRA would appreciate a written response outlining your position and the steps you are prepared to take to advocate for this critical issue at Queen’s Park.
Sincerely,
Prince Edward County Residents Association
www.countyfirst.ca