Advocacy Updates
What’s New
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada’s Housing Plan
April 12, 2024 Today the federal government announced Canada’s Housing Plan, outlining a number of new programs and initiatives to address the housing crisis happening across the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy...
Ontarios Big City Mayors Statement on the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024
April 10, 2024 The province’s announcement today of the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024, includes several initiatives that will cut red tape and speed up government processes that will, in turn, speed up the build...
Ontario’s Big City Statement on the Provincial Government’s New Deal for Ottawa
March 28, 2024 Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) welcomes today’s announcement from the province of a new deal for our caucus member the City of Ottawa. This funding will make a significant impact as it supports the city on not...
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Respond to the 2024 Provincial Budget
March 27, 2024 Yesterday Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy released the 2024 Ontario Budget: Building a Better Ontario. OBCM has been advocating to the provincial government on our key priorities for this year’s Budget:...
Ontario announces more than $1.8B in new funding to help municipalities build homes
Desmond Brown
CBC News…
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on the Province’s Announcement of the New Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program and Increased Funding for Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund
March 21, 2024 Today OBCM Chair and Mayor of Burlington Marianne Meed Ward and OBCM Member Mayor David West of Richmond Hill joined Premier Doug Ford, Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister Kinga Surma and Minister Michael Parsa...
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on Upcoming Ontario Budget 2024
March 20, 2024 Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) are looking forward to the release of the 2024 Ontario Budget by Minister of Finance, Peter Bethlenfalvy. On behalf of the residents of Ontario’s largest cities, we are hoping that...
Meed Ward: Ontario’s municipal taxpayers need a better deal from the province and the feds
Marianne Meed Ward – Op-Ed
Ottawa Citizen …
Ontario Mayors Meet with Finance Minister
CP24…
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Meet with Minister Bethlenfalvy to Discuss Municipal Priorities for the 2024 Provincial Budget
February 9, 2024 Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) met today to discuss issues facing Ontario’s largest cities and were joined by Minister of Finance, the Honourable Peter Bethlenfalvy. The Mayors discussed OBCM’s key priorities...
Ontario’s smaller towns and cities wants New Deals, too. Can the Tories keep saying no?
John Michael McGrath
TVO Today …
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Meet with Minister Calandra and Pass Resolutions on Federal Funding for Additional Shelter Space and Provincial Support for Regional Innovation Centres
December 15, 2023 Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) met today to discuss key issues facing Ontario’s largest cities and were joined by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Paul Calandra. The Mayors discussed...
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on Minister Calandra’s Announcement – “Ontario Taking Action to Support Municipal Partners in Building More Homes and Protecting Taxpayers”
Ontario’s Big City Mayors Statement on Minister Calandra’s Announcement - “Ontario Taking Action to Support Municipal Partners in Building More Homes and Protecting Taxpayers” December 13, 2023 BURLINGTON, ON - Today the...
Ontario shoots down big cities’ ask to allow more of them to get housing infrastructure money
Allison Jones
Canadian Press…
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) Statement on Federal Government’s 2023 Fall Economic Statement
November 21, 2023 Today the federal government released their 2023 Fall Economic Statement. Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) were pleased to see the creation of new programs that will fund the building of new rental units and...
OBCM in the news
Ontario launches audits of 6 municipalities to look at how housing law will affect budgets
3rd party audits expected to measure impact to changes in development fees
CBC News Posted: July 26, 2023
‘Let us figure out how it works’: Mayors of Ontario’s biggest cities aren’t willing to give up local control over housing decisions
Ontario's Big City Mayors are meeting in Kitchener this week.
The Kitchener Record
Posted: April 20, 2023
Ontario big city mayors to discuss concerns over province's new housing bill
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) will meet on Friday as tensions rise between the mayor of the province’s largest city and Premier Doug Ford over the financial impacts of a new housing bill.
Kitchener-Waterloo: Window to restore relationship with municipalities 'is closing', say Big City Mayors
In a public letter addressed to the chair of Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM) Cam Guthrie, the Ford government says it will be launching a third-party audit of select municipalities across the province.
Opiod's Harm to Ontario's Big Cities
Cam Guthrie, Mayor of Guelph and Chair of Ontario's Big City Mayors, discusses the toll of the opiod crisis across the province