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Monday, August 19, 2019

Doug Ford is following through with municipal funding cuts for 2020

It seems many Ontarians' nightmares are coming true, because the provincial government just announced they'll officially be moving forward with municipal funding cuts for public health and child care.

The controversial cuts have been largely criticized, along with many other cuts since Ford took office.

At a conference of the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO), Ford announced the cuts will officially come into effect on January 1, 2020. 

Ford also announced on Monday that the provincial government will be providing municipalities with "transitional funding" to give them time to search for more money and to protect public services. 

Ford didn't provide much other detail on the logistics of said "transitional funding."

Public health and childcare funding cuts were originally implemented retroactively earlier this year, but the Progressive Conservative government cancelled them when municipal governments complained that they needed more time, as their annual budgets had already passed.

Under the changes, municipal governments will have to pay 30 per cent of public health-care costs, as well as 20 per cent of the cost of creating new child-care space. 

New child-care space costs were originally funded entirely by the province, and Ford said the cost sharing agreement will eventually grow to a 50/50 split by 2021.

The province currently has an $11.7-billion deficit, and Ford's government claims the cuts are essential in order to tackle it, but many aren't buying it.

Toronto's city councillors are also expressing concern.

And many are worried about the effects these cuts will have on vulnerable members of society. 

Some are even saying the announcement will ensure Ford isn't reelected. 

Pressure to reverse the cuts is already beginning, but it remains to be seen whether or not it will have any effect. 


by Mira Miller via blogTO

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