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NDP Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath addressed the Ontario Good Roads Association conference today, Tuesday, February 26th, 2019, and said that New Democrats believe municipalities deserve more from the provincial government, not less.
In that address, she said she opposes both the cuts to the Ontario Municipal Partnership and the forced municipal amalgamations the Doug Ford government appears to be cooking up.
“Municipalities and Queen’s Park should be partners in making life better for people. Yet for too long, consecutive Conservative and Liberal governments have starved towns and cities of resources while downloading more and more services,” said Horwath. “Now, Doug Ford is making things so much worse by trampling local decision making and eyeing amalgamations. He’s setting the stage for deep cuts which will mean even more downloading of services onto municipalities with budgets that are already stretched too thin.
“Partnerships between local governments should be forged with a handshake, not a hatchet.”
The NDP is committed to repairing and rebuilding the province’s relationship with municipalities, starting with bringing forward legislation that would stop Doug Ford from meddling in municipal matters. Horwath told OGRA members she’s committed to increasing the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) to $550 million — a main source of provincial funding for northern and rural municipalities facing fiscal challenges.
Horwath also said she remains committed to increasing municipal transit funding, lowering electricity prices in Ontario and taking financial pressure off municipalities and families.
“Municipalities have a right to expect so much more from their provincial government.” said Horwath. “That’s why New Democrats will keep standing with municipalities for increases in municipal funding and respect for local decision making. There is more that unites us than divides us and, together, we can build a better Ontario.”
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