Port Rowan, July 17, 2013 – Ontario’s Species at Risk Stewardship Fund (SARSF) is contributing $211,500 over the next two years to support the installation of more ecopassages that will allow turtles, snakes and frogs to pass safely under the Long Point Causeway. The new funding brings the total of SARSF contributions to the Causeway Improvement Project over the past five years to more than $440,000.

Last month, Environment Canada announced it would be providing $223,000 over three years for this work. That brought Environment Canada’s total contribution through its Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk to $710,000.
“This additional funding from Ontario’s SARSF brings us much closer to realizing our goal of installing up to nine more ecopassages before the County repaves the Causeway in 2017-18,” said Paula Jongerden, chair of the Long Point Causeway Improvement Project (LPCIP) Steering Committee.

To date, the LPCIP has raised nearly $1.4 million tor the Project “We are very grateful for the financial support we have received from the federal and provincial governments, Norfolk County, the private sector and many other non-government and community organizations”, said Jongerden.

Jongerden also noted that wherever possible this funding has been spent on labour, materials and supplies here in Norfolk County.