Fighting the Underfunding of Provincial Services in York-Simcoe
October 30, 2008Legislature passes bill to Authorize Auditor General to report on
Underfunding of High-Growth Areas
Bill introduced by Julia Munro MPP would allow Ontario Auditor General to report on government underfunding of services in high-growth areas
(Queen's Park - October 30, 2008) - The Ontario Legislature today passed 2nd Reading of Bill 110, An Act to amend the Auditor General Act.
MPP Munro introduced Bill 110 to highlight the issue of Ontario government underfunding of health, social services and infrastructure in high-growth areas such as York-Simcoe and other areas of the 905.
Examples of the underfunding include the York Region Children's Aid Society, which wrote to the government in March that the 8.5% of Ontario Children's who live in York Region receive about 2.5% of child welfare funding. As well, the government health network (LHIN) covering most of York-Simcoe gets only 77 cents for every dollar the average Ontario resident is funded.
The bill would authorize Ontario's Auditor General to report to the Legislature about whether or not spending on programs and services is equitable in different geographical areas of the province.
The Auditor General is an impartial officer of the Ontario Legislature who conducts value-for-money audits of selected government programs and agencies every year. Bill 110 would permit him to include equitable funding as part of these reviews.
Viewpoint: Julia Munro, MPP for York-Simcoe:
"High-growth areas of Ontario such as York and Simcoe have seen their health, social services and infrastructure underfunded for far too long."
"Every Ontarian deserves equal access to government services - no matter where he or she lives. Allowing the impartial Auditor General to report on underfunding will strengthen the case for change and demonstrate the need for government action. The government should now allow this bill to move to committee for debate."
Read the bill online:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/status_of_legislation.do?locale=en#110
Read the debate in the Legislature:
Viewpoint: Bill Hogarth, Co-Chair, York Region Human Services Planning Coalition
"Ontario's ‘905' communities face huge gaps in their ability to meet the rapidly growing numbers and increasingly complex human service needs of their residents. Funding equity must recognize and reflect current realities and relevant features that distinguish us from established urban populations."
York Region Human Services Planning Coalition:
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For further information, contact:
Julia Munro, MPP
416-325-3392
