On July 27 2020, the Province announced $4 billion in funding for Ontario municipalities through the Safe Restart Agreement which contributes federal and provincial funds to offset municipal operational costs ( $777 million federal + $1.22 billion provincial = $ 2 billion ) a...
We are catching up on sharing a number of interesting pieces of news, reports, and other information on the municipal sector. Here are a few items of interest. Assessment Review Board Training MFOA is holding a two part webinar on municipal involvement in Assessment R...
As municipalities across Canada continue to suffer from declining revenues and without the ability to run any deficits, the municipal sector nationally is facing a financial crisis. On April 17 th , 2020 FCM released its report titled “ Protecting Vital Municipal Services ” an...
Last week, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance partnered to develop a resource that seeks to assist municipalities in providing financial relief to citizens and local businesses in response to the COVID-19 crisis. ...
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ontario government is deferring $15 million in property taxes for people and businesses in certain parts of Northern Ontario that are outside municipal boundaries. This would allow taxpayers in unincorporated areas an extra 90 days to pay the...
Amid COVID-19, the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) is continuing with its 2020 plan review process. Based on the latest review, there are two plan changes currently being considered: Remove the current eligibility rules so that non full time emp...
This afternoon, Finance Minister Rod Phillips released the provincial government’s 2020 fiscal update, Ontario’s Action Plan 2020: Responding to COVID-19. The fiscal update totals $17 billion that will go to support the healthcare system, the economy, and Ontarians amid th...
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced a $82 billion economic package to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy and people. The package represents more than 3% of Canada’s GDP and said the spending will not drive the country into reces...
In light of the global COVID-19 outbreak, Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips today announced that the provincial budget, which was slated to be released on March 25th , will be postponed. An economic and fiscal outlook for 2020 will instead be released and be based on cur...
Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney has announced that 111 Ontario municipalities will receive $365.3 million to invest in local transit through the Gas Tax Program. The Gas Tax Program is a long-term source of transit funding for municipalities and is determined ...