Toronto Sun
By: Antonella Artuso, Queen's Park Bureau Chief
Last Updated: May 27, 2010
Big city mayors are getting tired of sitting at the kiddie table of Canadian politics.
Twenty-two mayors representing the largest cities in the country are calling for a new partnership between all three levels of government, one they say recognizes the serious responsibilities that municipalities shoulder and the need for adequete and stable access to revenue streams.
Toronto Mayor David Miller pointed out that municipalities get a small slice of tax revenues while the remainder is shared between the provincial and federal governments.
"I sometimes jokingly say to my colleagues, 'What would Canada look like if Ottawa had to come to us for grants?'" Miller said. "Would we use $1 billion to build a Finch (light rail transit) to serve the neediest people in Toronto, to create 10,000 jobs, to build public transit for 100 years. Or would we use it for security for a few days event in Toronto?"
Miller said he supports the decision to host the G20 summit in Toronto, but said that if the federal government can spend $1 billion on security for that event, then it should be able ti help build more public transit in the city.
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion said a new partnership is not enough - it's time to open the "can of worms" that is the constitution to give recognition to the important role of cities, enshrining powers and revenue sources needed to keep municipalities viable.
After 40 years in government, McCallion said it's obvious that the country can't go on with the current situation that leads only to confusion, duplication and underfunding.
"It really means a look at the constitution, there's no question about it," McCallion said.
"I don't think we can shy away from it anymore. Municipalities today, the large cities of Canada, are the economic engine of the country."
The big city mayors' caucus met in Toronto Thursday in advance of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) annual general meeting.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is scheduled to speak to the FCM Friday.
Caucus chairman and Kitchner Mayor Carl Zehr said the stimulus funds in the federal economic action plan have helped municipalities catch up on needed infrastructure after years of under-investment and and off-loading by senior levels of government.
"More importantly, it brought all levels of government together to create jobs and fight the recession," he said. "Municipalities are turning stimulus money from Ottawa into new jobs...and managing thousands of front-line projects accross the country. It shows that some challenges are simply too big for any one government to solve on their own."
Other issues facing cities require equal co-operation and shouldn't have to wait for an economic crisis to be addressed, he said.
An infrastructure deficit, homelessness and traffic gridlock were highlighted by mayors as problems that demand immediate attention.
"Strong cities drive our economy and protect out quality of life," Zehr said. "For Canada to comete globally, all goverments have to solve the national problems that are playing out in our streets."
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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3 comments:
The municipalities’ of Canada are taking charge and addressing the crucial matters taking place on the streets which is a very important point. All levels of government, as Mayor Carl Zehr pointed out, should be addressing the national problems that are taking place on the streets of Canada daily. There are several issues of such public transit, homelessness and traffic gridlock that do and should be addressed by the provincial and federal governments too. The Municipal government is providing people with jobs and other necessities that major cities, such as Toronto and Mississauga need to functions and it is these cities that drive our country to be successful. Their problems are too small for the Municipal government to solve on their own, as said by Zehr and McCallion, and that is why city mayors all around are addressing the important issue that provincial and federal governments should take more of a role in city-wide issues affecting Canadian people directly. A greater support by higher government will help to solve pressing issues such as transportation and come up with solutions to end the struggles of municipal leaders and create stronger and fewer problematic cities.
I think that it is totally reasonable that the big city mayors want a better partnership between the federal, provincial and municipal governments? The three levels of government should be working closely together to solve the problems.
I think the city mayors have some really good ideas that will lead to positive changes. I really like the idea of building more public transit. I tkae the bus to school everyday, an I think that the TTC could really use some improvement. Homelessness is also an issue that needs to be paid more attention to. It shouldn't only be looked at by the municipal government but the federal and provintial as well.
I guess it makes sense that the federal and provincial governments get a larger share of money, because they have larger areas to look after. But if the provincial government is spending all the money on only Capital cities, for example, then that is unfair.
Carl Zehr is right, for Canada to do well, all three governments have to come together to solve the country's big and small problems.
That comment above is by Yashashwinee
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