Like the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is welcoming news that the Wynne Liberals are increasing the dollar amount in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. However Fedeli also adds the size of the increase is very small. He says any time there’s an increase, that’s good news. But in this instance the addition amounts to $5 million.
The Tory finance critic says when you consider the total size of the OMPF is $510-million, the $5 million addition amounts to less than one percent. Fedeli also says when you factor in that 389 Ontario municipalities are eligible for OMPF funding, that increase works out to an average of $12,000 a municipality. “It’s a token amount to get positive public relations so people can say there’s an increase,” Fedeli said. “At best it’s nominal.”
Fedeli believes the government’s decision to add more money to the fund was politically motivated. He repeated claims he’s made in the past that the Ontario Liberals only do what’s best for the them. He says they base their decisions on what’s best for the party and not the people of Ontario. Although FONOM welcomed the additional funding, it also had a concern. It notes that even with the extra $5 million, there are some municipalities that will see a decrease in the amount of OMPF funding they’re allocated.
