By KATE DUBINSKI, FREE PRESS REPORTER

Rural areas and small towns in Southwestern Ontario will receive about $45.5 million from the provincial and federal governments to upgrade roads, bridges and water treatment plants.

The local grants, part of the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, were announced Friday by Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Steve Peters, the province's labour minister.

In total, the federal and provincial governments are doling out $900 million over five years to rural communities to provide clean drinking water, upgraded sewage systems and safer roads and bridges.

One of the biggest investments will go to the municipality of West Elgin for a new water treatment plant and an extension of the Graham Road watermain.

The federal and provincial governments will each contribute almost $10 million to the project, estimated to cost up to $21 million.
 
The municipality will cover the rest of the costs.

"These projects are about more than just roads or bridges. They are about building these communities," said Joe Preston, Conservative MP for Elgin-Middlesex-London.

"When we invest in renewal projects such as these, we are investing in the individuals and families that live here," he said.

Oxford County will also get a huge investment, just over $11 million from each of the federal and provincial governments, to cover a $33-million extension of water and sewer mains and street and road upgrades.

The municipal, federal and provincial levels of government will pay an equal share of the costs for most of the projects.

WHO'S GETTING WHAT

Allocations for public works, shared by federal and provincial governments, with municipalities to pick up any remaining costs:

- Chatham-Kent: $2.4 million
- Elgin County: $1 million
- Oxford County: $22 million
- Perth County: $97,000
- St. Thomas: $604,000
- West Elgin: $19.4 million