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Niagara Calling for Financial Assistance from Provincial and Federal Governments

Tuesday, 26 May 2020 13:54

By Marcie Culbert

Niagara is submitting a formal request for financial relief from the provincial and federal governments.

It’s being endorsed by the 12 mayors and Regional Chair Jim Bradley. 

The Region and the municipalities have laid-off workers, deferred non-essential capital projects and reduced non-emergency repair work in an attempt to save money. 

But the costs related to the pandemic continue to add up. This includes the need for personal protective equipment, covering overtime and pandemic pay for employees and lost revenue related to facility rentals, business licensing and development applications. 

The Region’s gross costs related to the pandemic could reach almost $50 million by the end of June. 

The Region and the municipalities are calling for relief measures in the following areas; 

- Emergency operating funding to offset lost revenues and costs related to COVID-19 

- Deliver longer-term grants to ensure appropriate service levels continue while physical distancing directives are in place 

- Allow municipalities to apply for the federal wage subsidy program 

- Accelerate both provincial and federal infrastructure programs to stimulate economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended 

- Reform the infrastructure funding formula by reducing the municipal proportion to 20 percent (as compared to the traditional 1/3rd municipal contribution) 

- Eliminate time-consuming application-based funding programs to ensure the efficient and timely receipt of funds 

- Restore the provincial proportion of public health care costs to 100 percent and postpone reconsideration of any reforms to these costs until at least 2021 

- 100 percent one-time funding for pandemic related costs 

Niagara is discouraging any changes to the Municipal Act, which would allow municipalities to run operational deficits. 

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