Cities ask for help as provinces, feds remain apart over funding
Delays will only make it harder to get back up and running, group says
OTTAWA—Municipal leaders lamented the lack of progress between Ottawa and the provinces over $14 billion in federal aid for child care, personal protective equipment and transit funding, saying the uncertainty being created would hinder efforts to safely restart local economies.
Two weeks after first pledging the money, the Liberals have yet to finalize a deal with provinces about how exactly the cash is supposed to be used.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) warned Friday the longer it takes to land a deal, the more difficult it would be for cities to hire back laid-off workers, ramp up transit services or reopen facilities that all require extra cleaning.
The organization asked that whatever cities get from the $14-billion federal fund, that it cover front-line services like fire, ambulance, water, transit and shelters.
The longer provinces and Ottawa take to finalize funding deals, the more likely local governments will cut essential services further, or hold off on infrastructure projects that could help stimulate an economic recovery, said Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, who heads the FCM’s group of big-city mayors.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and premiers talked about the money during a weekly conference call Thursday night.
The Liberals want the money to pay for increased testing and contact tracing, the purchase of personal protective equipment for workers, and cover some child-care costs over the next six to eight months.
During a visit to a café in Quebec on Friday, Trudeau said his government wanted to make sure every province and territory could offer the same level of protection to Canadians from public health and economic perspectives.
He suggested a holdup on the flow of money had to do with a lack of agreement that the money would be used for the exact things the Liberals want.
“We expect the money that is allocated to go to help municipalities, which are in need right across the country, actually goes to help municipalities and be matched by investments by the provinces and territories as well,” Trudeau said.
“The flexibility is on how their needs are going to be met,” he added a moment later, “but we are fully expecting that the money we put forward for these things be spent on these things and that’s what Canadians expect.”