Highway-17 Dryden - File Photo

Some good news if your cars were getting beat up traveling on Highway 17 in Dryden, it will be getting a nearly $3 million facelift.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford made the announcement Wednesday, which will see the highway get a full reconstruction from Cecil Avenue all the way to Leach Road.

Rickford says targeted investments like this one are key for the success of both the city and the region.

“Northwestern Ontario’s economy depends on reliable infrastructure to connect people to jobs, housing and education.”

Funding is coming through Ontario’s Connecting Link Program, which covers 90 percent of eligible project costs.

Money is also flowing to Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services which has its Northwest office in the city, that organization is seeing an $8.6 million increase in funding, geared towards ending Indigenous homelessness in the province through various programs.

Meanwhile the Dryden Public Library was able to build a new accessible washroom through a $60,000 dollar grant through the Inclusive Community Grants Program.

“Construction started on Monday February 13th and finished the final touch-ups on March 16th,” said acting library CEO Tina Wallin. “We are so pleased to be able to offer a new, inclusive and accessible washroom facility at the library.”

And Machin is also a winner, picking up $178,000 through the Ontario Trillium Foundation to renew the municipality’s Recreational Facilitator position, which is a critical component of bringing healthy active living to the community according to Mayor Gord Griffiths.

“Having a Recreation Facilitator has been extremely successful for creating activities in our communities. The community events, and programs like yoga, armchair travel, and disco rollerblading are all directly related to funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and would not happen without it.”