Mayor Burton applauds Ontario’s first fiscal response to COVID, says mayors are calling for more

Mayor Rob Burton applauds the Province's beginning economic and fiscal response to COVID-19 as outlined in Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, released Wednesday.

“The deferral of payment to the Province by municipalities of the funds collected for the education portion of the property tax was requested in a meeting between Ontario’s big city Mayors and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Minister of Finance on March 24,” said Mayor Burton, “as well as in a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford calling for this and stronger measures and fiscal support for municipalities.”

The Province's plan includes measures that will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flows over the coming months, including more than $1.8 billion by deferring the upcoming June 30 quarterly municipal remittance of education property tax to school boards by 90 days, which will provide municipalities the flexibility to, in turn, provide property tax deferrals to residents and businesses, while ensuring school boards continue to receive their funding.

Also included in the plan is $3.3 billion in additional resources for the health care system and $3.7 billion in direct support for people and jobs.

The previously-announced $148 million in funding for charitable and non-profit social service organizations will also allow Consolidated Municipal Service Managers to evaluate unique local needs in their communities related to COVID-19 and respond accordingly, including providing funding to homeless shelters and food banks.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the provincial government to meet Ontarians’ needs during the COVID-19 emergency,” said Mayor Burton.

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