North Bay gets scraps from OMPF

The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) has left North Bay, and most of Northern Ontario with only the scraps of what the other Ontario regions received. Brian Rogers is clearly disappointed with the money given by the province.

“The cities of the North receive no help,” Rogers said. “Maybe someday, they’ll see we need the help.”

He added that Northern Communities receive a mere 10 percent of the OMPF.

For Northern Ontario, the OMPF is divided into six grants:

1. Social Programs – Northern and Rural

2. Social Programs – Assessment Threshold

3. Assessment Equalization

4. Northern Communities per household

5. Stabilization, and

6. Police Services grant, which North Bay receives nothing.

Northern Community Grant

The City of North Bay receives money under this grant because of the higher operating and capital cost due to a larger area and smaller population than many other regions in Ontario; it’s special support to the municipalities of the North.

“This was put in place to ensure taxes in Northern Ontario aren’t two or three times what they are in other parts of Ontario,” Rogers said.

Rogers explained that the City has asked for an extra $50 per household which will turn into approximately $1.2 million from the province.

“It’s a small ask in terms of a budget ask, but is significant in North Bay,” Rogers said.

Social Programs – Assessment Threshold

This component of the OMPF has been cutback substantially for the ’09 budget which will put a huge burden on Northern Ontario, especially North Bay.

“The province determined every municipality should expect to absorb up to a threshold level of social program costs,” Rogers said.

This threshold is .178 percent. Anything above that .178, the province will reimburse.

The City is proposing $13,316,992 is social programs for 2009. After the threshold amount is taken off, North Bay will still be expected to pay and upward $7.3 million.

Net benefit uploading

“If the summary doesn’t change, it will be 2014 before we see a benefit,” Rogers explained.

He added that the relationship between the province and the municipality will be very different in the next 10 years due to this uploading, which, once again, North Bay has yet to see.

“Southern Ontario got a net benefit right out of the gate,” Deputy Mayor Peter Chirico said.

“The fiscal health of the Northern communities is not as strong as the fiscal health of other parts of Ontario,” Rogers said.

Rogers agreed with Councillor Judy Koziol that the Northern Ontario grant is only a quick fix and that North Bay still needs to see the benefit of the Provinces uploading.