On October 21, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry (SDG) heard and discussed a report outlining a potential County Road 45 bypass in Alexandria. The bypass would significantly reduce commercial truck traffic along Alexandria’s downtown core on Main Street.
“Getting that bypass finished and complete would be a dream come true for Alexandria to get those trucks off the main street,” Councillor Carma Williams stated at the council meeting.
The Township of North Glengarry has been examining the Housing Enabling Core Servicing Stream (HECSS) offered by the Ontario government to help enable the new development taking place just north of County Road 43, across from the Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital. The Township proposed leading the application process.
The project would extend County Road 45 to the north on a municipal road, then turn to cross the VIA Rail tracks before connecting back to County Road 34 at Power Dam Road. This rail crossing is also along the high-frequency line the federal government has been interested in and would connect the Windsor Corridor to Québec City, allowing the region to benefit from the transit line.
The HECSS was set up to help municipalities build, maintain, and repair municipal roads, bridges, and culverts to create new housing developments and opportunities. The HECSS funds, if approved, would enable the municipalities to move forward with one of the longer-term recommendations identified from the environmental assessment for Main Street in Alexandria. Current provincial funding tends to be gauged at supporting housing development.
Even with 50 per cent of the funding potentially coming from the province, the other half would then need to be split between North Glengarry and SDG, presenting a significant investment challenge in the region.
Councillor Williams had reservations about the proposed project, worried about shelving another project in Alexandria, “my concern is that it would derail the Alexandria Main Street project. Main Street is a priority. It needs to get done, or at least, started.”
Council then heard that if the project’s application were successful, the expected funding would allow the project to be funded and executed quickly.
“It would be nice if we could come together in a more aggressive fashion and have the province recognize that industry and housing is important in Eastern Ontario, especially in SDG, and ensure we get these projects funded in a proper way,” Councillor Tony Fraser suggested.
At this time there is no commitment from SDG, however, the report gave councillors something further to consider once North Glengarry submits its application for the project.
