COMMUNITY

The costs and responsibilities that Ontario municipalities are expected to bear have increased exponentially in that time, and with the now $260 billion of infrastructure investment looming for the 444 municipalities in Ontario, a conversation to change that must happen. Panelist Mike Moffat highlighted that when he bought his home in the early 2000’s, the development charges on his home to pay for growth were $5,000, those charges in many urban municipalities are now over $100,000 (the County next month will be debating increasing ours from the $30,000 range to nearly $75,000 per unit). This highlights not only the drastic increase in infrastructure delivery cost, but also the significant implications on the affordability of new units. Lisa Helps spoke to the work the BC government is doing in reaching their target of one million homes, with province-wide zoning reforms, building code reforms, and their new public builder of attainable and non-market homes, BC Builds One of the specific items Lisa Helps highlighted that has increased the number of units built is to outlaw public hearings for housing applications that already match what is permitted in the municipality’s official plan. Food for thought!

Plenary Session - Premier Ford, & Opposition Party Leaders Marit

Stiles, Bonnie Crombie, and Mike Schreiner

During the first full day of the conference, all four party leaders addressed the delegates with their vision for Ontario and the government’s relationship with all 444 municipalities. Premier Doug Ford emphasized their focus on Ontario’s economic growth, boasting that their government has not had to raise taxes in their six years as government (many conference goers would highlight online and in-person how this was accomplished by downloading those costs onto municipalities to take the fall for the necessary tax increases) Ford highlighted their efforts to encourage companies to come to Ontario, and the Building Faster Fund, investing in water and wastewater systems through grants.

Premier Doug Ford highlighted the government’s efforts to encourage companies to come to Ontario, and the Building Faster Fund, investing in water and wastewater systems through grants, amongst other key factors that he believes draws people to this province. Watch his full speech online here.

Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles spoke later in the day, starting her address by talking about the need to ensure women need to feel welcome in office and the need for politics to be a civil and respectful environment. She then called for a “new deal” for municipalities, following the advocacy of AMO for a Social and Economic Prosperity Review (a sentiment that was later mirrored by both Bonnie Crombie and Mike Schreiner in their speeches), and that she would dedicate a Ministry to Homelessness and Opioid Addiction Stiles then announced their plan to fund 50 per cent of municipal transit services, increase ambulance funding, change the public healthcare funding model, and increase infrastructure funding.

She highlighted the Ontario NDP was the only party to have announced creating a public builder (Homes Ontario, suggested to be a similar model to BC’s BC Build).

Ontario Liberal Party leader Bonnie Crombie spoke immediately afterwards, critiquing the Ford government’s priorities and describing her party’s interest in prioritizing community needs, healthcare, education, the economy and affordability