The Association of Municipalities of Ontario got started earlier this week with some significant news from the Premier.
On Monday, Premier Doug Ford announced municipal funding cuts are going ahead for public health and child care.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison told Quinte News the announcement is another case of downloading.
Premier Ford told the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Monday that municipal funding cuts for public health and child care are going ahead in January.
The new plan will see municipalities pay 30% of public health care costs and 20% of the cost for new child care spaces, which the province had previously fully funded.
The province also announced a 4% increase in funding for ambulance services.
Quinte West Mayor Jim Harrison listens during a regular council meeting, on August 12, 2019. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Harrison says he’s not pleased they have to take up more of the burden and the taxpayer is paying a very large share of everything that is done.
He says they will have to look at their budget very carefully and justify what they do.
Harrison continued by saying public health is vital in some cases and the last thing they want to see is another Walkerton and he’s very surprised by the government and that they want to touch public health.
On the flip side, there was some good news according to Harrison. Ford announced they want to get the provincial government out of the way and let the municipality do what they do well.
Harrison says they’re committed to making where they live a better place to live and the province should recognize municipalities for that.
Today is the last full day of the AMO conference in Ottawa and Mayor Harrison says he has yet to have a conversation with Minister of Health Christine Elliott.
