The Ontario government is allocating an additional $120 million to help municipalities and Indigenous community partners protect the health and safety of vulnerable people during COVID-19. This investment builds upon the second phase of social services relief funding announced this fall and brings the government’s total allocation to $510 million.
“Our government is responding to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic by targeting $120 million of the Social Services Relief Fund to where it is needed most,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This additional funding will help our community partners respond to local housing pressures and help vulnerable Ontarians find – and keep – the housing they need.”
Municipalities and Indigenous community partners can use the discretionary funding to improve the delivery of critical services, protect homeless shelter staff and residents, renovate and purchase facilities to create longer-term housing solutions, add to rent banks and support plans to prepare for potential future outbreaks and/or emergencies.
The Social Services Relief Fund is part of the up to $4 billion being provided to Ontario municipalities under the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement. The Agreement will help municipalities protect the health and well-being of the people of Ontario while delivering critical public services, such as public transit and shelters, as the province continues down the path of economic recovery.
Jim McDonell, MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry announced that seven municipalities in his riding will receive an additional total of $1.185 million in Safe Restart Agreement funding. The discretionary funding will be used to offset operating costs for critical services and help ensure that these municipalities do not carry an operating deficit into 2021.
“This funding will provide our community with the support it needs to continue delivering critical services that we all rely on everyday,” said MPP McDonell. “Today’s announcement will help these municipalities develop a 2021 budget that reflects the reality of COVID-19 and give them the confidence they need to proceed with capital projects that will drive economic growth.”
The funding per municipalities is:
North Dundas: $59,000
City of Cornwall: $538,000
United Counties of Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry: $353,000
South Glengarry: $72,000
South Stormont: $68,000
South Dundas: $60,000
North Stormont: $35,000
The Ontario government is allocating an additional $695 million across the province to provide financial relief for municipalities and help ensure they do not carry operating deficits into 2021.This investment builds upon the first phase of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced this summer.
“This joint funding will help Ontario’s municipalities recover from the impacts of COVID-19 faster, by helping them to enter into 2021 without operating deficits from this year,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “By ensuring our municipal partners are in a sound financial position to begin the new year, they can better focus on keeping their capital projects on track while continuing to provide the critical services their residents rely on.”
Of the $695 million announced today, $299 million is being allocated across all 444 municipalities to help provide more financial relief, as 2021 operating budgets are finalized. An additional $396 million is also being allocated to 48 municipalities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 and who have demonstrated a need for additional assistance in covering their 2020 operating deficits.
