Ford’s cuts and downloading a risk to public health

When considering the Ford government’s newly introduced budget, it might be helpful to think of it as an iceberg.

What’s on top of the water changes the landscape, in good ways and bad, but what you see on top pales in importance compared to what’s under the water.

The guts of the budget, which have been spilling out in the days since the official release earlier this month, are much more significant than what was immediately apparent on release day. And more treacherous.

There are cuts to flood and water management, at a time when flooding is becoming more and more frequent. There are cuts to forest firefighting budgets, at a time when climate-induced wildfires are more frequent than ever. A major tree-planting program — active in the Hamilton area — that was meant to improve soil conditions, cut back on erosion and mitigate the impact of climate change, is axed. OHIP coverage for travel outside Canada is cut — sorry, truck drivers and others who have to travel to the U.S. to work or vacation. Ontario library service funding is cut by 50 per cent. Legal Aid by 30 per cent. The Compensation for Victims of Crime Act is killed.

But some of the most worrisome and potentially dangerous cuts are coming to public health. Here, what the province is doing, in simplified terms, is changing the funding formula and cost-sharing for a host of public health programs. Vaccines. Diabetes care and screening. Immunization monitoring. Prenatal support (Hamilton’s Nurse Family Partnership is an example), water quality testing (remember Walkerton?), food safety regulation, school nutrition programs, infectious disease control (remember SARS?) and overdose protection.

These and many other aspects of our public health safety net are jointly funded by municipalities and the province. Some will be cut entirely, and many others will see the province reduce its share of the cost, in some cases by half.

This puts local governments like Hamilton’s in an untenable position. Either they take over the increased share of the cost, or they cut services (keep in mind many public health programs are legally mandated by the province).

An example: Hamilton taxpayers will now be on the hook for at least a portion of $10 million in child care program costs. And local taxpayers will pay 30 per cent, instead of 25 per cent, of most public health programs.

Even though many of the details remain to be seen, what’s clear is that this is downloading on a historic scale. Mike Harris must be grinning ear-to-ear. In the words of Hamilton councillor Chad Collins: “They’re notorious for solving their fiscal problems on the backs of municipalities.”

Here’s the thing. Municipalities have nowhere near the flexibility of senior governments when it comes to paying for things. Cities like Hamilton and Burlington have basically two choices: Cut services or increase taxes to pay for them.

So if you didn’t like that three per cent hike or so this year, prepare for one much higher next year, thanks to the premier who still claims he’s got the backs of all the little guys. Sounds more like he’s got his boot on the necks of the little guys.

Keep your eye on that iceberg — we haven’t seen it all yet.

Even though many of the details remain to be seen, this is downloading on a historic scale. Mike Harris must be grinning ear-to-ear