The Ontario government is allocating $2,577,200 under the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF), as general assistance grant in 2022 to some of Durham’s northern municipalities.
The Region of Durham and municipalities of Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington, are not recipients of the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF), said a provincial statement. It did not clarify why.
Recipients are:
- The Township of Scugog is receiving $1,266,600 in funding through the OMPF, which is the equivalent of $144 per household;
- The Township of Brock is getting $885,800 in funding through the OMPF, which is the equivalent of $161 per household; and
- The Township of Uxbridge is receiving $424,800 in funding through the OMPF, which is the equivalent of $52 per household.
“Predictable and timely financial support from the province is essential for budget planning in small and rural municipalities,” said AMO President Graydon Smith. “The early rollout of stable 2022 Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund allocations sets the stage for effective budget planning for the for year ahead.”
The Ontario government recognizes the unique challenges of northern and rural municipalities, including rural farming communities. The OMPF targets funding to municipalities facing challenging fiscal circumstances and supports areas with limited property assessment, while assisting municipalities that are adjusting to year-over-year funding changes.
It is not clear if there will be any impact of the grant on 2022 taxes in the recipient municipalities.
“Our government recognizes the importance of the OMPF to communities across the province, and we’ve heard loud and clear what our municipal partners are looking for,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “We are committed to making sure the OMPF continues to meet the needs of local communities, by providing stable financial support that they can count on.”
Ontario has been consulting with municipalities on their priorities for the OMPF. Throughout these discussions, municipal partners have stressed the importance of stability and predictability, particularly during these uncertain times. Ontario is responding by maintaining both the structure of the OMPF and the program envelope at $500 million for 2022, as committed at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) annual conference in August 2021.
The OMPF supports 389 municipalities across the province. The funding provided through the program is unconditional and can be used to support the local priorities and specific needs of each community, said the statement.