The province is tacking on an extra $10 million to the Forest Access Roads Funding Program.
The money is a top-up to the $60 million announced by Queen’s Park in last spring’s budget for the program.
A Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry news release said the money is earmarked for construction and maintaining forestry roads used for transportation between communities and emergency fire routes, along with providing access routes for the tourism sector and industry.
The release specifically mentioned the Papakomeka/Grassy River Road network, regarded as critical Timmins-to-Sudbury link that was used during the Timmins forest fires of 2012.
“This additional support will help people across Northern and rural Ontario to continue to use forest access roads in their communities,” said Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Kathryn McGarry in a statement.
“Forestry is a major source of jobs and economic opportunities in the region, and our government will continue to support this sector and the communities that depend on it.”
Since 2005, the ministry said it’s poured more than $733 million into the construction and maintenance of forestry roads.
