MPPs from all parties endorsed a resolution from Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece that states the government should guarantee government-held and opposition-held ridings are given equal and transparent consideration for infrastructure funding.
“Too often, it appears that politics trumps fairness when it comes to infrastructure funding decisions,” said Pettapiece after the debate. “It’s regrettable that this debate was even necessary.”
In a press release, Pettapiece stated he believes Liberal infrastructure priorities have repeatedly short-changed rural and small-town Ontario, where the party holds few seats.
He pointed to their 2014 decision to scrap the Connecting Link program, which provided municipalities with funds to assist with upkeep of provincial highways, and the government’s decision to slash the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) – the province’s main transfer payment to small municipalities.
“They do it because they think they can get away with it,” Pettapiece said during debate.
In 2015 the province restored $15 million in Connecting Link funding. The Liberals also point to uploading of costs such as social services as a balance to the cut to OMPF payments.
So far, 116 Ontario municipalities, including seven in Perth-Wellington, have endorsed Pettapiece’s resolution.
“They come from PC, NDP and even Liberal ridings. The Ontario Good Roads Association also supported it,” states the release.
During the debate, Pettapiece told the House that in January, the government asked Wellington County official why they didn’t apply to the Small Communities Fund. He said the county responded that three previous expressions of interest did not pass the initial screening test.
Pettapiece said the county’s response stated, “If our economic conditions and fiscal situation are going to preclude the county from being successful in future grant applications, we would appreciate the province letting us know this up front so that we can avoid wasting future staff resources and scarce municipal tax dollars in a fruitless fishing expedition in which we very well know that our chances for success are minuscule at best.”
NDP MPP Percy Hatfield supported Pettapiece’s motion, stating, “Our smaller municipalities need financial help from the senior orders of government when it comes to infrastructure. Governments shouldn’t be playing favourites.”
Liberal MPP Kathryn McGarry stated her government is not playing favourites.
“This summer, I went to many government announcements to help show our infrastructure investments in [opposition ridings],” she said.
Pettapiece, however, confirmed the need for the second part of his resolution asking the government to guarantee that all MPPs, whether in government or opposition, be given fair and equal advance notice of the official announcement.
McGarry pointed out that 88 per cent of the Ontario community infrastructure projects are in ridings held by members of opposition parties; 79% of municipalities that receive funding have a population under 15,000, 65% have a population under 10,000 and 42% have a population under 5,000.
“I would challenge the members of the opposition: When they hear that some of the funding is coming to their municipalities, instead of complaining about it, I’d love to hear a thank you. Their mayors and their communities are asking for that,” said McGarry.
“The member from Perth–Wellington can’t criticize us for making infrastructure investments, vote against the budget that contains them and then come to cut the ribbon at these announcements. I challenge him to decide what side of the fence he’d like to be on,” she added.
