Hastings County councillors have expressed concerns about a projected $54 million funding gap in asset management planning.
A report to County Council on Thursday indicated this new AMP is required under provincial legislation, but will be used as a planning tool to guide departments in various capital and operational undertakings to benefit the programs, clients, ratepayers and staff of Hastings County.
Hastings County has started a multi-year process to develop and implement the plan, with budgeted items including building condition assessments for County buildings, evaluating the condition of bridges in the County, and investigating software that would help in collecting and maintaining data.
CAO Connor Dorey told council there needs to be ways to find efficiencies and find ways to overcome barriers and address the infrastructure gap.
“We’re extremely challenged by the legislation that we fall under, whether it’s the long-term care act or the Housing Services Act and our inability to raise rent for our long-term care beds due to those acts,” he explained.
Warden Bob Mullin said the total gap among the 14 member municipalities would be at least $100 million, possibly more and said it would be beneficial to have the province provide them funding to offset that cost.
Multiple councillors/municipal mayors stated their concerns about the gap, particularly about potential closures of roads and bridges, as well as other crucial infrastructure.
The full report can be seen at this link.
