Ford's knee-jerk budget cuts will hurt municipalities

May 1, 2019

TORONTO — Mike Schreiner made the following statement regarding Large Urban Mayor's Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO) request that the provincial government reverse their cuts:

I support LUMCO’s call to pause implementation of budget cuts that affect municipalities.

The Premier’s knee-jerk cuts will download costs onto municipalities and lead to service cuts or property tax increases at a time when housing affordability is at a crisis point in many cities.

Proper consultation must take place so cities can plan and act responsibly. In this case, not only did the Ford government fail to consult with municipalities, but it only notified them of the cuts after their municipal budgets had passed.

This puts unfair pressure on municipalities to come up with hastily developed alternatives that directly affect the quality of public services they provide.

No matter how much the government tries to spin these cuts as something else, they are cuts that leave our communities scrambling and people out in the cold.

I urge the Ford government to listen and collaborate with cities, not pick a fight with them.”

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