Ontario’s 25 big-city mayors say they are extremely concerned that the government of Ontario is engaging in what they call “downloading by stealth.”
Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie, who is the chair of the Large Urban Mayor’s Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), released a statement on Tuesday claiming the Ford government is implementing changes to municipalities without any consultations.
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“This amounts to millions of dollars per year in funding reductions to vital, front-line services, including public health, policing, library services, childcare, tourism and flood management,” Guthrie said in the statement.
He also noted LUMCO’s displeasure about a cap on the Ontario gas tax fund and the uncertainty surrounding changes to ambulance services.
“The government is effectively forcing municipalities to consider tax increases or service cuts to absorb the download in services it has proposed,” Guthrie said.
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The statement even criticized the way the government was notifying municipalities of the changes, describing it as “piecemeal fashion” through letters to agencies.
All of the changes come after municipal budgets for the year have already been passed.
LUMCO says it is calling on the Ford government to postpone the implementation of the changes to at least 2020 to allow for proper discussions with municipalities.
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“We call on the government of Ontario to be transparent about its intentions and engage with cities before downloading more services,” Guthrie said.
LUMCO mayors have invited Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs Steve Clark to their next meeting.
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