Ontario grants $28K to boost emergency response in Rideau Lakes

The Township of Rideau Lakes will receive $28,724 from the Ontario government to support local emergency preparedness, including the purchase of a standby generator for the fire hall that also serves as the municipality’s emergency operations centre.

The funding is part of the 2024–25 Community Emergency Preparedness Grant program, which supports municipal emergency planning through equipment purchases and training.

Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, announced the funding during Emergency Preparedness Week in Ontario.

“I’m pleased to share this great news during Emergency Preparedness Week in Ontario, when each of us should take time to reflect and ensure we’re ready to respond to an emergency situation or crisis,” said Clark in a statement.

The grant program supports municipalities, Indigenous communities, local services boards, and non-governmental organizations involved in emergency response. This year, 114 recipients were selected.

Jill Dunlop, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response, said the funding helps ensure communities can act quickly when emergencies happen.

“A safe and prepared Ontario comes when communities and organizations have the resources they need to respond efficiently and effectively in times of crisis,” Dunlop said in a media release. “I saw first-hand, during the recent ice storms, how our community and the entire province is stronger when we have the capacity to come together to support each other and respond quickly when disaster strikes.”

The Township of Rideau Lakes will use the funding to help ensure its emergency operations centre can remain functional during major outages or extreme weather events.