Ontario’s big-city mayors are asking the federal and provincial governments for assistance to address the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic as well as the plan for recovery and reform going forward.
The Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO) says it held a conference call with federal and provincial members of caucus to highlight its proposal to senior levels of government.
The mayors say they asked for help to address the projected $415-million revenue shortfall to its transit systems between April and June.
It is also asking senior levels of government to help develop a comprehensive recovery plan as the economy begins to reopen and is asking for capital and service delivery responsibilities to be realigned.
“Municipalities are working tirelessly to help Ontarians through this crisis, but in the face of drastically reduced revenue streams, especially as it relates to transit, we are struggling to keep critical services running while meeting our legislative and regulatory requirements,” LUMCO chair and Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie said in a statement.