Association of Municipalities Ontario

6 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 12 make the best possible investment decisions for their infrastructure assets – assets used every day by people and businesses across Ontario. Municipal governments are a key partner in a resilient economy, investing revenues of $60 billion annually in important public services and infrastructure. And while the overall state of municipal financial health is stable, being left solely responsible for many of the services and infrastructure that make Ontario a destination for investment and people is an ongoing concern. Imagine a world where all levels of government came together to fund and build the infrastructure needed to attract businesses and accommodate growth. As the Ontario government recognizes itself, infrastructure investments are vital to strengthening the economy, creating jobs and building strong communities in which residents enjoy a high quality of life. But municipalities need more financial tools to realize these complex challenges. We cannot build and maintain infrastructure that we need for a thriving Ontario economy financed by property tax alone. More tools needed to address today’s challenges Ontario already has the second highest property taxes amongst all provinces and territories at $2,100 per capita. We can and must work better together to respect our single and shared taxpayer. Municipal governments are best known for providing the services that Ontarians rely on most each day and at all stages of life, including garbage collection, public transit, water and sewage, parks and recreation, police and fire services, and electric utilities, amongst many others. Municipalities have and will continue to innovate but they need more tools to help address increasingly complex policy challenges, like housing and homelessness, that stand in the way of Ontario being an attractive place to live, work, and play. Ontario is our home and the mutual benefit of vibrant, thriving communities is felt at every level of government.