This morning, the province announced that the Government of Ontario and the City of Ottawa have reached a new deal to help ensure the city’s sustainable long-term growth and prosperity. The agreement includes up to $197 million over three years in provincial operating funds and up to $346 million over 10 years in provincial capital supports, including previously committed funding through the Building Faster Fund.
It also includes:
- Maintenance and rehabilitation for Ottawa Road 174 while a three-stage phased assessment of potential provincial ownership of the road is underway.
- Funding to help revitalize the downtown area, with dedicated funding to Invest Ottawa.
- Funding to support public safety and address increased levels of crime, which have had an impact on city services.
- Additional conditional funding for emergency shelters and homelessness prevention to address the needs of increasing levels of homelessness.
- The repair and upgrade of major connecting routes and roads critical to keeping the people, goods and services of Ottawa moving.
- Advancing design and construction of a new interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road to support population growth and development.
- Funding for the Kanata North Transitway to support economic growth and recovery.
- Support for housing- and community-enabling infrastructure through the Building Faster Fund, conditional on the city achieving at least 80 per cent of its housing targets.
This investment signifies acknowledgment by the province that current fiscal arrangements between the province and municipalities in Ontario are not effectively serving communities, families, and businesses, and are undermining the province’s social and economic stability. While this investment marks a significant step forward, there is a need for a broader reconsideration of how public services are financed and delivered, as well as how infrastructure is constructed and funded.
The City of Ottawa has reciprocated by committing to various actions, such as making municipal lands available for housing development to align with shared housing priorities, surpassing housing targets, strengthening the city’s vacant home tax, implementing measures to minimize property tax burdens, and aiding in the development of a long-term care home at The Ottawa Hospital.
Both the province and the City are urging the Federal Government to provide support on common goals, including shelter assistance for asylum seekers, funding for housing infrastructure, and assistance for Ottawa in managing the increased costs associated with protests and demonstrations.
