- Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor
The late Hazel McCallion, Mississauga's long-serving mayor, was fond of saying that the federal government had all the money, the provincial government had all the power, and cities had all the problems.
Mary Rowe, CEO of the Canadian Urban Institute, says that cities also have all the solutions, some of which need appropriate collaboration with the federal and provincial governments for tax policies, regulation and funding to make them work.
Two organizations representing the municipal perspective have made submissions to the government of Ontario's pre-budget consultation, and City staff are asking council to endorse their recommendations at their meeting Monday night.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) have focussed their submission on housing and those factors that affect homelessness.
AMCTO (Association of Muncipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario) is seeking endorsement of these recommendations provided to Peter Bethlenfalvy,
Minister of Finance, through the Budget Office.
Dear Minister Bethlenfalvy:
Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission to the 2023 Pre-Budget process.
AMCTO represents excellence in local government management and leadership. With more than 2,100 members working in municipalities across Ontario, AMCTO is
Ontario’s largest voluntary association of local government professionals, and the leading professional development organization for municipal professionals.
As you will see from our submission, this year we are offer a wide-angle lens to the challenges in front of the municipal sector, our communities and our residents. We have
put forward recommendations for your consideration that favour a resilient future for municipalities, with provincial-municipal partnership at the forefront.
Our recommendations include:
• Provide financial support for municipal budget shortfalls due to reductions in development charges and other financial impacts resulting from Bill 23.
• Re-start the Municipal Modernization Program and Audit and Accountability Fund to focus on assisting municipalities with implementing projects that require upfront
financial investment for long-term returns and efficiencies. Consider how these programs can also support municipal internship components, and provide municipalities with enough time to make proposals while reducing application and reporting burdens.
• Collect, analyze, and act on the recommendations put forward by municipal experts working in planning, finance, parks and recreation, and conservation authorities to
address the significant unintended consequences identified, many of which will have a financial impact.
• Co-design solutions and collaborate with municipalities and municipal professionals to ensure that the Province understands local impacts and opportunities before
introducing measures that affect Ontario’s communities.
• Protect and expand existing funding sources and investigate additional funding sources that appropriately address the infrastructure gap and tie these to inflation.
We are always ready and willing to collaborate and co-design with the Province so that we can work together towards positive outcomes for residents across Ontario.
source: https://pub-owensound.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=36741
