Better funding model needed to tackle housing, homelessness and public safety in Ontario: OBCM

There is another call to improve funding between all levels of government and support initiatives in housing, homelessness and public safety in Waterloo Region.

The Ontario Big City Mayors group (OBCM) is joining the push to get a new funding model in place.

Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said Kitchener is one of those cities that is rapidly growing.

He noted the city just doesn’t have the financial tools available to keep up with the pace of growth and the infrastructure and maintenance costs that come with it.

“As fast-growing municipalities, we bear major costs for maintenance and growth of community infrastructure and services, yet municipalities do not have the available financial tools that grow with the economy, build housing and support our social needs like mental health and homelessness,” said Mayor Vrbanovic.

“A new approach to funding growth will have a very direct and positive impact on people by supporting the services that they count on.”

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario have also called for changes to the provincial-municipal fiscal framework.

The renewed call for change comes as Toronto and Ottawa recently received new funding deals when it comes to supporting large projects in transit, community safety and shelters and other social programs.