Municipalities receive extra OMPF money in 2026

Municipalities in this region know how much money they will receive from the provincial government next year through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

The money is used to offset some of the expenses towns and cities have across the province.

This year, funding for the OMPF program increased 20 percent up to $600 million.

Rural Affairs Minister Lisa Thompson says it is a $50 million increase over last year.

“It demonstrates Premier Ford’s commitment to rural and northern Ontario, when we said that not only are we going to listen, but we are going to take action,” said Thompson during the recent announcement of OMPF funding.

Thompson adds the early announcement helps municipalities now in budget talks.

“At the local level, in the lower tiers of municipalities across this province, you’re currently in budgeting exercises. And we so we hope today’s announcement gives you some relief that you’ve been listened to, and you matter.”

In the Kenora and Rainy River Districts, the Town of Fort Frances received the largest grant of $4,236,000.

That’s up from last year, when the town received $4,414,100 .

Here is the list of grant recipients:

City of Thunder Bay-$27,823,000 ($24,348,600 in 2025)

Kenora-$3,765,000 ($3,362,000 in 2025)

Dryden-$2,818,700 ($2,530,000 in 2025)

Atikokan-$1,837,300 ($1,636,900 in 2025)

Sioux Lookout-$1,761,000 ($1,610,000 in 2025)

Red Lake-$1,073,700 ($961,400 in 2025)

Ignace-$1,078,500 ($983,300 in 2025)

Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls-946,700 ($813,400 in 2025)

Lake of the Woods-$785,400 ($708,200 in 2025)

Rainy River-$736,100 ($676,300 in 2025)

Ear Falls-$568,500 ($523,700 in 2025)

Emo-$458,400 ($414,100)

Machin-$447,500 ($392,900 in 2025)

La Vallee-$342,300 ($314,100 in 2025)

Chapple-$340,300 ($367,00 in 2025)