Article Summary

Doug Draper, “Thorold’s infrastructure among best in Niagara,” Thorold News, April 21, 2001.

Thorold ranks among the top 3 municipalities in the Niagara Region for infrastructure maintenance, with even more money allocated for sewer and water line repairs in the most recent budget.

But George Barkwell of BDO Dunwoody and Associates told Thorold council that water and sewer lines are reaching their life expectancy, while truck traffic through the region could double within the next 3 to 5 years, and about $67 million is needed to update the infrastructure. Failure to invest the money now is a “false economy” that will come back to haunt the region in higher repair or replacement costs later.  Details of BDO’s infrastructure maintenance survey in the region remain confidential.

The region and province are working together to establish a “mid-peninsula transportation corridor” to relieve congestion on the QEW and alleviate the development pressures on surrounding tender fruit-growing lands. Barkwell also advocates higher development charges for roads and infrastructure in the region.