Grants from Intake 3 of the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF) have enabled two townships in Dufferin to undertake up to $2.7-million in bridge projects.

Total grants to Mulmur and Melancthon of just more than $900,000 from each of the federal and provincial governments, or $1.8-million, are part of the combined $93-million granted to Ontario municipalities in the third round of approvals.

Mulmur was the greater of the two Dufferin beneficiaries, with $752,667 from both Ottawa and Queen's Park. Melancthon is receiving $156,667 from each of those.

Under terms of the grants, each township must contribute one-third of the cost of the approved project, such as to equal the participation of the province and the feds.

In Mulmur's case, the estimated cost of replacing the Fourth Line culvert and two nearby bridges, designated as Nos. 17 and 18, totals $2,258,000.

Melancthon's three projects - replacement of culverts designated as 2009, 2015 and 2026 - will cost $470,00, of which the township would pay $156,667.

In other nearby projects, Adjala-Tosorontio has been enabled to undertake a $1.3- million project to rehabilitate two bridges, and Southgate is replacing one bridge at a cost of $528,750.

The third round was the final one in the current COMRIF program, but provincial PC candidate Sylvia Jones, of Opposition leader MPP John Tory's office, said discussions are afoot about another tripartite program. She did not immediately have further details.

Ms. Jones and MP David Tilson were present for the COMRIF presentations in both Melancthon and Mulmur - Mr. Tilson representing the federal government, and Ms. Jones representing Mr. Tory. At Mulmur, MPP Lou Rinaldi of the Rural Affairs division of the ministry of agriculture, food and rural affairs represented the province, and Mayor Gord Montgomery the township. At Melancthon, the provincial government was not represented, although the minister of agriculture did send regrets.