With Hillier gone from Tory caucus, South Frontenac wonders where to turn

Jeff Green | Apr 03, 2019

South Frontenac Mayor Ron Vandewal has written to the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Steve Clark, about the township’s frustration over not having a member sitting on the government benches even though the Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston riding voted for the winning party in the most recent election.

“South Frontenac has waited patiently for an opportunity to have a Member of the Provincial Parliament sitting in government and following the provincial election, we had hopes that our years of educating, communicating and lobbying on behalf of South Frontenac’s unique needs would lead to improved opportunities for South Frontenac.

“With the recent decision to remove Mr. Hillier from caucus, the township is now at a loss as to how to regain our footing and best move forward the concerns and needs we have diligently been pursuing. Vandewal wrote to Clark.

Vandewal, noting that Clark represents a neighbouring riding, Leeds Grenville – Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, then asked his advice on how the township may “best advance” its concerns and needs, before requesting a meeting at the Minister’s convenience.

South Frontenac Council has long complained that they have little success when seeking grants for infrastructure projects, due in part to the positive financial position that the township enjoys and, apparently, because it has not had a representative at Queen’s Park pushing its interests.

The most daunting project the township is facing is the reconstruction of Road 38, its busiest arterial road, which has not seen major work in over 20 years. The section of Road 38 that runs through Central Frontenac, was rebuilt in 2006, thanks in part to a $4 million federal-provincial grant that was secured earlier that year.

Co-incidentally or not, the MPP representing Frontenac at that time was Leona Dombrowsky, a cabinet minister in the McGuinty government. At a ceremony marking the $4 million grant, Dombrowsky pointed to the persistence of the township’s lobbying efforts.

“I’ve been hearing about Hwy. 38 and its reconstruction needs since before I was first elected,” said Minister Dombrowsky at the time.