MPP Sandhu and Minister Sarkaria Announce More Financial Relief for Brampton

Funding will help ensure local government avoids operating deficits in 2021

The Voice of Canada News:

Amarjot Sandhu, MPP for Brampton West, and Prabmeet Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South, announced that Brampton will receive an additional $27,489,000.00 in Safe Restart Agreement funding. The discretionary funding will be used to offset operating costs for critical services and help ensure that Brampton does not carry an operating deficit into 2021.

“This crucial funding will provide Brampton with the support it needs to continue delivering critical services that are so essential to our community,” said MPP Sandhu. “Today’s important announcement will assist the city in developing a 2021 budget that reflects the reality of COVID-19 and give them the reassurance they need to move forward with capital projects that will drive economic growth and prosperity.”

“This significant funding of over $27.48 million will help Brampton recover from the impacts of COVID-19 faster, by helping them enter into 2021 without operating deficits from this year,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Small Business and MPP for Brampton South. “This is great news for our local community and will allow our city to plan ahead for the coming year with confidence.”

The Ontario government is allocating an additional $695 million across the province to provide financial relief for municipalities and help ensure they do not carry operating deficits into 2021. This investment builds upon the first phase of the federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement announced this summer.

Of the $695 million announced $299 million is being allocated across all 444 municipalities to help provide more financial relief, as 2021 operating budgets are finalized. An additional $396 million is also being allocated to 48 municipalities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 and who have demonstrated a need for additional assistance in covering their 2020 operating deficits.

QUICK FACTS

• The federal-provincial Safe Restart Agreement is a historic partnership that secured up to $4 billion in emergency funding for Ontario’s municipalities to help them on the road to a safe recovery.
• In August, an initial investment of $1.6 billion was provided so every Ontario municipality could address their operating pressures, support transit systems and help vulnerable people.
• The Ontario government has provided $510 million to municipalities and Indigenous community partners through the Social Services Relief Fund to help protect the health and safety of vulnerable people during COVID-19.
• The province has made an additional three-year, $45-billion commitment to help communities recover as part of Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover. This includes critical investments in health and other initiatives, to ensure Ontario is more resilient in the future.
• Ontario is also supporting municipalities in finding budget savings and efficiencies through the Audit and Accountability Fund and Municipal Modernization Program –supporting municipalities with third-party audits and service reviews. Municipalities have already received $215 million through these programs.