The Ontario government has announced it will invest $15 million in ongoing annual funding through the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support (NORDS) Fund to help northern municipalities continue to improve local infrastructure.

The NORDS Fund helps municipalities across northern Ontario invest in vital infrastructure such as roads and bridges, access new economic opportunities through resource development and mitigate the impacts of resource development on local infrastructure. Resource development operations, such as mining, forestry and agriculture, are an important part of the provincial economy, yet they can also disproportionately impact northern municipal infrastructure. NORDS helps these municipalities strengthen local infrastructure, invest in long-term community growth and support sustainable development.

All 144 northern Ontario municipalities are eligible to receive NORDS funding. Allocations are determined using household counts in each municipality, and money can be used fund infrastructure projects, such as road rehabilitations or bridge improvements, related to resource-related development, such as in mining, forestry and agriculture.

Among those receiving funding in 2025–26 were:

• The City of Timmins, which received $400,000 to reconstruct a 16-kilometre section of Highway 101 to mitigate the impacts caused by the transportation of resources extracted by nearby forestry and mining operations.
• The Municipality of Shuniah, which received $129,994 to rehabilitate Lakeshore Drive, a vital roadway used by mining and forestry industries in the region.
• The Town of Smooth Rock Falls, which received $76,797 for a water main extension project to increase water pressure, allowing for future community, business and resource developments.

“Strong municipalities are the backbone of Ontario. This $15 million annual investment through the NORDS Fund will help northern communities build modern, critical infrastructure and ensure families and businesses in the North have what they need to grow and succeed,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “This is part of our plan to protect Ontario and build the most competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the G7.”

Since its inception in 2021, NORDS has provided $75 million to fund municipal infrastructure projects across the North.

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