MARKHAM , ON – Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) gathered in Markham Thursday, April 10th and Friday April 11th to discuss the significant impact of tariffs on their local economies and residents. OBCM unanimously passed a motion directed to both provincial and federal governments requesting support to address the impacts of tariffs on municipalities, including by:
- Removing barriers preventing municipalities from prioritizing Canadian companies and services for capital projects and procurement and eliminating interprovincial trade barriers
- Developing a comprehensive strategy to fast track infrastructure projects, investments in housing including social housing with wrap around services and support for municipalities to manage the unintended consequences such as escalating procurement costs
- Including municipalities in discussions on the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations and development of programs to combat the impacts of tariffs, so we can provide insight into the municipal impacts and potential solutions.
Included with this motion are examples of priority projects from each of our municipalities where, if prioritized, stimulus funding could make a positive impact on protecting local economies.
Ontario’s Big City Mayors were joined at their meeting on Friday by Premier Doug Ford who spoke about tariffs and what his government is working on to combat the potential economic impacts to Ontario businesses and communities. Both the Premier and the Mayors of Ontario’s biggest cities agree that working together is critical to getting the province through these challenging times, and OBCM reiterated their commitment to working together with the newly elected provincial government and soon to be elected federal government.
Also on Friday, OBCM held a roundtable discussion on tariffs, trade and the impacts of these global issues on their municipalities. They were joined by officials and fellow municipalities on the front lines of the work on tariffs from both sides of the border including Mayor Austin Bonta from Portage, Indiana who works alongside several OBCM Mayors on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, David Paterson, Ontario’s Representative in Washington D.C., the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).
Throughout the two day event, hosted by Markham Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, the Mayors were pleased to have been joined by several provincial Ministers and local MPPs. This included an opportunity to welcome the Honourable Rob Flack – Ontario’s newly appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and have him address attendees.
OBCM also welcomed:
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- The Honourable Michael Kerzner – Solicitor General of Ontario (addressed attendees)
- The Honourable Michael Tibollo – Associate Attorney General (addressed attendees)
- The Honourable Graydon Smith – Associate Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing,
- The Honourable Graham McGregor – Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism
- Billy Pang – MPP Markham-Unionville and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education
- Logan Kanapathi – MPP for Markham-Thornhill and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Red Tape Reduction
- Daisy Wai – MPP for Richmond Hill and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism and the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility
“Ontario’s Big City Mayors are on the front lines of some of the most pressing challenges facing our province – from the impacts of global tariffs to the urgent need for housing and infrastructure investments,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Chair of Ontario’s Big City Mayors. “We’re grateful to Premier Ford and his Ministers for joining us to listen, share, and commit to working collaboratively on solutions. We’re united in our belief that all orders of government must work together to protect our local economies and ensure our communities remain strong, resilient, and ready for growth.”
At their meeting the mayors also passed two additional motions:
- First, a request that Ontario expand its judicial capacity, including Crown attorneys and court staff, to prevent case backlogs as well as that the Ministry of the Attorney General be requested to review disclosure timelines. Balancing the R. v. Jordan’s principles with the realities of complex cases is essential to avoid unnecessary stays. And that the Ontario government explores technology-driven solutions to help resolve the issue of judicial capacity and disclosure timelines.
- Second that the Federal Government reverse the decision to wind-down the Interim Housing Assistance Program and continue providing support for municipalities for 100 percent of the cost of providing shelter for refugees and asylum seekers and request the Federal Government to expand the definition of the term “asylum claimant” as eligible for IHAP funded services to include those who have initiated a refugee claim and haven’t completed it yet, and those who arrived to Canada with the intention to make a refugee claim and are preparing to make it.
All motions can be found on our website here – https://www.ontariobigcitymayors.ca/reports-submissions/
About Ontario’s Big City Mayors
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) is a non-partisan organization that includes mayors of 29 single and lower-tier cities with a population of 100,000 or more, who collectively represent nearly 70 percent of Ontario’s population. OBCM advocates for issues and policies important to Ontario’s largest cities.
Media Contacts
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Chair Michelle Baker, Executive Director
chair@obcm.ca michelle@obcm.ca
905-335-7777 647-308-6602