Mayor Rick Goldring, City of Burlington; Mayor Rick Bonnette, Town of Halton Hills; Mayor Gordon Krantz, Town of Milton; and Mayor Rob Burton, Town of Oakville, join municipal leaders across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) in expressing their profound concern over the infrastructure deficit facing the GTHA. With a federal election approaching, Mayors and Chairs from across the GTHA have sent letters seeking a commitment from the nation’s party leaders for a fiscal partnership that supports the economy and helps address the infrastructure deficit.
We are asking the federal government to step up to the plate and be a strong and reliable fiscal partner for municipal governments. We need long-term, sustainable and reliable federal funding that will allow us to keep up with the demands of growth, meet the needs of our residents and eliminate the infrastructure deficit in our communities. Protecting our taxpayers from the financial impacts of growth is a key priority.
Local governments need partnerships and sustained funding in two key areas to help stimulate growth and support a strong economy. The first is a new fiscal partnership with the federal government that will provide more long-term funding to increase the capacity of our infrastructure to move goods, services and people. Municipalities have benefited from the government’s current funding model, the Federal Gas Tax initiative, which provides funding to local governments with discretion on how to spend it. However, it is not sufficient and more attention is needed to address the unique pressures facing the GTHA and needs across the country.
Secondly, there has been a lack of federal funding for social housing which represents both a compelling social and economic concern. Governments require more federal funding for housing as these investments are effective in stimulating economic growth and employment.
Halton Region and the City of Burlington, Town of Halton Hills, Town of Milton and Town of Oakville stand strongly with the GTHA Mayors and Chairs requesting a formal commitment from our nation’s party leaders to address local governments’ needs for: infrastructure funding and support, long-term funding models and investments in housing. The most significant contribution that local government can make is to ensure our towns and cities have advanced and well-maintained infrastructure that can efficiently move people, goods and information. Supporting strong local economies supports a strong Canada—a shared goal for all levels of government.
A copy of the letter sent to federal party leaders by GTHA Mayors’ and Chairs can be found at Halton.ca/advocacy.