Ontario is uploading more expenses from municipalities, helping to reduce costs for municipalities and local families.
This year, court security costs are being uploaded to the province. Municipalities will also continue to see cost savings from previous uploads in social assistance programs, including the Ontario Drug Benefit Program, the Ontario Disability Support Program and the Ontario Works program, resulting in a benefit of $1.2 billion in 2012.
Since 2003, Ontario has also increased support to municipalities by:
- Building or rebuilding more than 828 bridges and 6,700 km of road across the province.
- Launching a municipal infrastructure strategy that includes $60 million over three years to support municipal asset management and help fund critical projects.
- Investing more than $13.4 billion in public transit in Ontario communities.
- Committing more than $2.2 billion in gas tax funding to municipalities to help purchase transit vehicles, add routes, extend hours of service, and upgrade transit infrastructure.
- Partnering with municipalities to build or repair more than 270,000 affordable housing units by investing $2.5 billion, more than any previous government.
- Increasing the provincial share of land ambulance costs by $250.6 million or 115.7 per cent.
- Increasing the provincial share of public health costs from 50 per cent to 75 per cent.
These supports are helping municipalities to lower, freeze or minimize property taxes and ensure that more tax dollars are available for important municipal priorities like water treatment, infrastructure, economic development, and community services.
Helping ensure sustainable public services and vibrant communities is part of the McGuinty government's plan to strengthen the economy. A strong economy helps protect the services that mean most to families - health care and education.