“It just adds insult to injury that (the Ford government) wants people in Niagara and St. Catharines to pay the price for his scheme to help wealthy developers get wealthier.” – Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
Speaking to the Growing Province-Wide Opposition to Ford’s Bill 23 and its Assault on Municipalities and Our Natural Heritage
A News Release from the Constituency Offices of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
Posted November 16th, 2022 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
QUEENS PARK — NDP MPPs Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) and Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) are sounding the alarm over concerns raised by the Niagara Region and St. Catharines city councils that local families could face service cuts or tax hikes if Doug Ford takes away funding used to pay for municipal services.
In his so-called housing legislation, Ford is taking away the funding municipalities use to pay for local infrastructure like community centres and roads. The province’s Fall Economic Statement shows that their so-called housing scheme has already failed, as the Ford government forecasts that fewer new homes will be built than it has previously projected.
“St. Catharines and the Niagara Region city councils are sounding the alarm over Doug Ford’s move to download costs onto municipalities,” said Stevens. “If Mr. Ford takes away the funding municipalities use to pay for infrastructure and services for seniors and kids, then municipalities will have a harder time turning houses into homes, surrounded by real communities.
“It just adds insult to injury that Mr. Ford wants people in Niagara and St. Catharines to pay the price for his scheme to help wealthy developers get wealthier. Mr. Ford’s scheme is actually making the affordability crisis worse by jeopardizing affordable rentals.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford puts the squeeze on muniicpalities and local taxpayers to further enrich his supporters in the development industry
Gates and Stevens said the Ford government should have consulted municipalities including the Niagara Region and St. Catharines in the first place, and should listen to their voices now.
“Doug Ford must address the concerns of Niagara Region and St. Catharines councils,” said Gates. “Without providing provincial funding to make up what he’s taking away, Mr. Ford’s scheme could result in far fewer affordable housing units and much higher costs for municipal taxpayers in the Niagara Region and St. Catharines.
“The provincial government should be investing in building affordable housing, not making it harder for municipalities to build complete communities and maintain services.”
For more on the concerns raised to Bill 23 by the City of St. Catharines, click on – Bill 23 – St. Catharines (stcatharines.ca)
For a letter Niagara Region sent to the Ford government outlining concerns over the negative impact of Bill 23 on Niagara, click on – file:///C:/Users/owner/Desktop/Ltr%20-%20CIR%20Hon%20S%20Clark%20-%20Bill%2023%20Nov%202022.pdf .
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