The provincial government has turned down a significant funding request from the Town of Essex, leaving local residents to shoulder the full cost of a critical drainage upgrade in the community of Harrow.
Grant Rejection Forces Local Funding
Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy expressed deep disappointment after learning the town's application for approximately $1 million was unsuccessful. The funding, sought through the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program's Health and Safety Water Stream, was intended to expand the Harrow raw sewage pumping station.
"It just means that now the residents will have to fully fund it unless another grant opportunity comes up," Mayor Bondy stated. The town will now need to cover the projected $1.5 million upgrade through local water rates.
Competitive Process and Provincial Rationale
The rejection was communicated in a letter dated November 27 from Trevor Fleck, interim assistant deputy minister of infrastructure programs. Fleck explained that the program intake was "highly competitive," with demand far exceeding available funds.
Projects were selected based on provincial assessment criteria, including:
- The criticality of health and safety risks.
- Technical merit and project readiness.
- Financial need and use of modern technologies.
Mayor Bondy said the town plans to seek more detailed feedback from the province on why their application did not meet the criteria.
Addressing Growth and Recurring Flooding
The upgrade was deemed essential to manage projected growth in Harrow and to combat flooding that has plagued the town. "This would be something that would enhance our ability to manage sanitary sewage during storm events and allow us to pump the sewage faster through town," Bondy explained.
Harrow residents have endured significant flooding on multiple recent occasions:
- In August 2023, hundreds of Essex County residents faced flooded basements after a massive storm.
- Again in September 2025, heavy rainfall caused flooding for some residents in Harrow and Colchester.
Bondy highlighted the frustration, noting that Essex MPP Anthony Leardi (PC — Essex) has publicly stated the province has "millions and millions of dollars to give away." "Many of us in the town of Essex are wondering how come we couldn't just get $1 million out of that millions and millions of dollars," she said.
The funding denial sets back local efforts to build resilience against increasingly frequent severe weather events, placing the financial burden directly on the community.
