BURLINGTON, ON – Municipalities are an integral part of the day to day lives of Ontario residents, and during this election we are working hard to ensure that party leaders and local candidates understand what municipal governments need from our next provincial government.
Today as we launch our election advocacy campaign, Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) are looking to the future of Ontario. With our communities growing at an unprecedented rate, we are facing challenges that we never have before. We are asking our partners at the province to work with us and tackle these challenges head on so we can continue to build thriving, livable communities for our residents. Our campaign focuses on our key priorities for Ontario’s biggest cities:
Homelessness, Mental Health and Addictions Crisis
- Municipalities have been doing our part, but we can’t solve this crisis alone and our communities and most vulnerable residents are suffering
- We need the province to act now to address the humanitarian crisis happening on our streets
- Visit SolvetheCrisis.ca for more information on what steps OBCM is asking the province to take to do their part to solve the crisis
Housing and Housing Enabling Infrastructure
- In the midst of a housing crisis across the province, every level of government must do their part and work together to get more homes built
- Municipalities don’t build housing, but we do build housing enabling infrastructure
- We need the province to unlock funds for the critical infrastructure needed to build liveable communities for our residents
A New Deal for Municipalities
- Municipalities are being forced to use the property tax base to cover the costs of delivering provincial responsibilities including healthcare, policing, social services
- We need the next government to commit to working with municipalities for an open conversation to forge a new deal on who does what and how do we pay for it.
We have also offered our support for a Team Canada approach to the threat of tariffs imposed by the U.S. Our recent resolution calls for a Buy Canadian approach, easing barriers on inter-provincial trade, and providing municipalities the ability to prefer Canadian companies and suppliers in municipal procurement. We have formed a working group to share information and advocacy efforts in response to tariffs.
“We want to make sure municipal voices are heard loud and clear during this election; these issues impact cities and towns across the province. We want to hear from party leaders and local candidates about how their policies will tackle these issues head on and how they will work with municipalities when they form the next provincial government. It is crucial that the province and municipalities work as partners as we all strive towards the same goal – safe, vibrant and thriving communities all across Ontario.”
- Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of Burlington and Chair of Ontario’s Big City Mayors
You can find a video of our Chair, Mayor Meed Ward outlining our election priorities on our YouTube Channel here
About Ontario’s Big City Mayors
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) is an 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
OBCM Election Advocacy Campaign – Key Messages
Overall
- Municipalities are trying to do more with less from years of downloading from provincial governments – the property tax base was not meant to sustain these financial responsibilities
- We want to be partners with the province to provide complete communities that are safe, liveable and thriving for our residents
- In our election advocacy campaign we will focus on our three key priorities:
Homelessness, Mental Health and Addictions Crisis
- In 2024, more than 80,000 people in Ontario experienced homelessness.
- Without significant intervention, homelessness could more than triple by 2035, leaving almost 300,000 people without stable housing.
- OBCM is asking the province to appoint a single Ministry with responsibility for homelessness, mental health and addictions with appropriate funding to municipalities to address local needs and services on the ground.
- The province needs to invest in 24/7 Community Hubs and Crisis Centres to relieve pressure on hospitals and first responders.
Housing and Housing Enabling Infrastructure
- Municipalities have been working with the province and partners in the home building process to address the housing crisis in our communities.
- Municipalities need the province to provide long-term sustainable funding to support housing enabling infrastructure such as:
- water and wastewater, roads and bridges, transit and electrification
- infrastructure to support complete communities including schools, hospitals, community centres, libraries and parks
- Municipalities don’t build homes – we need the province to partner with us as well as others in the home building industry to identify the barriers and come up with solutions to getting shovels in the ground.
A New Deal for Municipalities
- Municipalities need a provincial partner to help fund essential services downloaded onto them – including healthcare, policing, social services, and housing infrastructure.
- Unlike other levels of government, municipalities only have one revenue source – property tax – and it is not sufficient enough to fund what is needed to sustain safe, affordable, and thriving communities
- Over the next 10 years, municipalities are planning for more than $250 billion of capital expenditures – with around $100 billion related to growth.
- In 2022, municipalities across Ontario spent $3.3 billion on health despite only receiving $1.8 in provincial grants
- We could be spending less time talking and more time building and delivering services, if a new deal for municipalities was made.