The team had a successful week . . . and is proud to bring St. Thomas’ priorities to the table.
That was St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston’s assessment of the city delegation’s impact at last week’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa.
In addition to the mayor, the team included councillors Lori Baldwin-Sands and Gary Clarke, Sean Dyke, Sean Dyke, CEO of the St. Thomas Economic Development Corp., and Heather Sheridan, the city’s Director of Social Services.
According to the city’s Advocacy Briefing Package, long-term needs include:
- Delivering on affordable/supportive housing and support for brownfield remediation
- Support for capital funding to expand the early years system and assist with staff recruitment and retention
- Increase regional transit connections
Concerning housing, the Advocacy Package notes, “Generally, St. Thomas and other local governments require sustainable financial support to enable and provide community and affordable housing at the rate it is needed.”
Looking at funding for early years programming, the city would like to reallocate unused local priorities funding through “a business case process to keep the funds in the community to support new builds and expansion of the early years system.
“The city is also seeking clarity on plans for, as well as provincial support and funding for continued recruitment and retention strategies for adequate staffing.”
St. Thomas is also calling on support from the Ontario government for an incentive program and/or direct funding “to assist with the costs of environmental remediation to support residential development on former industrial lands.”
In meetings with provincial representatives, the city put forth a series of targeted requests:
- Reform Ontario’s property tax assessment and appeals system
- Provide additional cost-sharing measures to support growing local police expenses
- Change the Family Health Organization (FHO) model requirements to expand availability of the model; specifically, allow municipalities to be the leaders and funding recipients of the FHO to allow them to independently staff an FHO
- Reevaluate the public health model, especially with respect to its governance and financing
- Expand funding for adult day programs and seniors’ recreation services to support aging in place
- Reform Ontario Works legislation to allow only a 25 per cent deduction on income earned above the threshold
Written by Ian McCallum
