Ontario municipalities say steep property tax increases being proposed across the province are partly the result of Ontario off-loading various costs to local governments in the 1990s.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario says municipalities and their taxpayers are paying for infrastructure and services that should be the province’s responsibility, such as public health, land ambulance services, bridges and highways.
For example:
The province announced a “new deal” for Toronto late last year, in which it agreed to take over the cost of two highways to help ease the city’s financial pressures, and now other communities want similar support.
Still, Toronto says financial pressures are leading it to propose a 10.5 per cent property tax increase and the municipal association says other communities are looking at increases of over five or even 10 per cent.
(The Canadian Press)
