The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent is asking council to lobby upper levels of government for urgently-needed infrastructure funding.
CK Chief Financial Officer Gord Quinton said the funding for supportive housing, affordable housing, roads, bridges, water, wastewater, storm water, emergency services is urgently needed.
Quinton noted municipal budgets now fund an increasing level of social services and assets that were designed to be the responsibilities of upper levels of government.
"This is not what property taxes are meant to fund. Property taxes are for local operations of services such as roads, parks, emergency services, and for cost sharing with the province for the administration of provincial programs. By taking on this burden many municipalities are facing 5% to 15% property tax increases since 2020," wrote Quinton in his report to go before council on Monday night.
Quinton noted in many cases, provincial funding has not increased in years and has not kept up to inflation, adding he hopes that the province includes this issue in the Property Tax and Assessment Review that is currently underway.
The CFO is also frustrated with the limited success of provincial grants, adding there has been "little to no explanations" why some have been rejected.
"The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is experiencing strong growth and revitalization; however, our existing assets are aging as evidenced by our Financial Reports and Asset Management Plan. In fact, we are now on a watch list of the province for municipalities that have an asset age above average. Chatham-Kent now faces building for growth and future development as well as replacing our billions of dollars in aging assets," the CFO wrote.
Quinton is asking specifically for the following:
a. Council advocate for additional immediate operational funding for at least 75 per cent of the cost for homelessness response, transitional and supportive housing.
b. Council advocate for matching funds to support the 10 year needs for Chatham-Kent’s Asset Management Plans updated in summer 2025.
c. Council demand that the provincial government remove the $10 million cap on Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund funding and increase the funding level in their spring 2025 budget and index it to inflation moving forward.
d. Council advocate that the federal government double the Canada Community Building Fund annual funding levels in their first budget immediately after the upcoming federal election and index it to inflation moving forward.
e. Council support AMO, ROMA and FCM advocacy on similar funding issues with upper-level governments.
f. Council advocate with administration on specific one-time grant applications to upper-level governments as they become available for any approved capital project.