THUNDER BAY – Municipal governments are looking for funding to help overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thunder Bay Mayor Mauro recently participated in a joint conference call with members of The Large Urban Mayor’s Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), The Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO), Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) as they advocate on behalf of their municipalities for the Federal and Provincial Governments to help with operational deficits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Since April, municipalities from across the province have been urging the provincial and federal government to assist them with the difficult financial situations that they find themselves in, and that includes Thunder Bay.
We have already had to make difficult decisions because of financial pressures related to COVID-19. Revenues are down, and costs are up. Municipalities are not allowed to run deficits by law, and will have to contemplate making further service cuts if they cannot secure funding from both levels of government. The COVID-19 pandemic has put municipalities across the province under extreme financial strain.
It is past time for the provincial and federal governments to agree and announce assistance to the City of Thunder Bay and the municipal sector in Ontario. The funding being requested is critical to the economic recovery of our region and the entire country. It also has tremendous implications for individual and community wellness, and quality of life in general, for those living in our Community.
We have, and continue, to look internally for cost savings. At the same time, it’s acknowledged that upper levels of government need to provide financial assistance. If and when a financial assistance package is announced, allowing municipalities the flexibility on how it would be applied would be preferred.”
