Over 2,500 delegates, including mayors from all over Ontario, are meeting in Ottawa this week to discuss ways to better manage each municipality in all areas.
Mayor of Burlington, Marianne Meed Ward, spoke in Sunday’s opening speeches calling on the federal and provincial governments for more financial support to solve what she calls a humanitarian crisis when talking about homelessness.
Meed Ward says the current system to receive additional provincial and federal funding is not consistent, or enough to cover what they are being asked to do.
Meed Ward proposes an action plan to include a dedicated Minister to solve the homelessness crisis and a transition plan for those currently living in encampments.
When asked by CHCH News if more taxation powers are needed, she pointed to dollars better spent on what she calls “wrap around support.”
“After this individual had supportive housing and wrap around services, mental health, addictions support as well as a whole range of other supports custom to the individual in those units, they had no hospital visits”.
READ MORE: St. Catharines mayor raises alarm bell over homelessness crisis
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe says the mental health crisis is not what it was before, and stated that a solution is in a new tax system.
“Municipalities need a new deal, new tools to do this. I would be in favour of those new tools whether they came in the form of points on income tax or sales tax that goes directly to municipalities so we can get rid of some or all of the property tax burden.”
The burden Mayor Siscoe is referring to concerns the current taxation system where municipalities are using some funds from property taxes to address the homelessness crisis in our communities.
Mayors from across Ontario will be discussing many issues this week, with the main goal of receiving more financial support from federal and provincial governments.
READ MORE: Frustration felt after Hamilton’s homelessness support costs revealed
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