The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is helping communities through the COVID-19 pandemic by offering grants to strengthen asset management.
They’ve offered support to communities across the country, including Yarmouth. FCM president, Garth Frizzell, talked about why they’re helping out.
“During the pandemic the municipalities all across the country have been really cash strapped and looking for ways to make a dollar last longer. Yarmouth is among them,” said Frizzell. “We’re under the gun but we’re really delivering and with them applying for and getting this grant, they’re making that extra effort to make the dollars go farther than ever before.”
The FCM recently announced $100,000 in funding, split in half between Yarmouth and Lunenburg.
Frizzell talked about why Yarmouth was chosen to receive a grant.
“We’re looking for communities that are wanting to go out and make sure that they take care of the roads, the water, the bridges, all of those pieces that are so important,” said Frizzell. “Yarmouth was chosen because they put forward some pretty significant needs and the message resonated.”
The town of Yarmouth plans to use the money to update its inventory of pipes and develop an asset class–specific management plan.
Frizzell also praised Mayor Pam Mood, who sat on their board and finished her term as Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities president late last year.
