Kincardine Council will be asking the Ontario government to commit to what it calls a “comprehensive social and economic prosperity review”.
The purpose of the review is to promote the stability and sustainability of municipal finances throughout the province.
South Bruce Peninsula council resolved to make a similar request to the province recently. And Owen Sound is also among many cities and towns in Ontario that have been urging the province to re-examine how its funds municipalities.
A notice of motion was put forth by Kincardine council during their meeting on Wednesday.
The municipality is asking for the review because they feel that communities across Ontario are in crisis because of cuts to provincial funding, downloading responsibilities to municipalities, and the unprecedented need for housing.
The motion also says that municipal expenditures are outpacing provincial contributions by nearly $4 billion a year.
It mentions municipalities are being asked to take on complex health and social challenges – like homelessness, supporting asylum seekers, and addressing the mental health and addictions issues.
The motion says that the province can and should invest more in the prosperity of communities and that the province has a history of collaboration with municipalities.
A copy of the motion will be sent to Premier Doug Ford, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Minister of Finance, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and MPP Lisa Thompson.