Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): I'm pleased to make a few comments on the COMRIF program, and I'm glad to see that both the ministers responsible for it are here. First of all, I want to say to you how thankful I am that the township of Severn in my riding received $1 million for that funding.

However, I do want to point out an interesting fact. The county of Simcoe and its member municipalities, if we include the cities of Orillia and Barrie, make up 19 municipalities. They represent about 4.2% of the population in Ontario. In my riding alone, there were nine applications for COMRIF funding for the provincial share, and it would have amounted to $22 million. I know it's only stage one at this point. However, it's very important that I put on the record for my residents and for the folks in the county of Simcoe and the cities of Barrie and Orillia that this is one of the fastest-growing areas of the province, and that has been compounded by your greenbelt legislation. We need to make sure that these communities have the proper resources and the sewer and water systems and bridges etc.

Really and truly, although they received a total of $1.535 million in the COMRIF announcement the other day, there was probably $60 million or $70 million applied for. We need to put on the record that these municipalities will be looking for substantial amounts more in the coming months, in the stage two announcements. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to this today.