Issue at a Glance

Our final Issue at a Glance leading up to the 2022 Provincial election, focuses on municipal insurance. Municipal insurance rates are rising at a pace that is not sustainable. The Province needs to act upon commitments to review municipal insurance rates and find a solution that will allow municipalities to protect their assets without creating budgetary pressures for their communities.

Career pathways are needed to recruit qualified candidates to opportunities within the municipal sector. An internship program can help bridge the gap between new talent and experienced administrators, ensuring that opportunities in the municipal sector are met with qualified applicants ready to take on experienced and leadership level roles.

Since 2018, AMCTO has advocated for the reduction in the municipal reporting burden. While important, reporting requirements often take time away from operational needs as staff focus is pulled to responding to requests for information. More must be done to reduce the burden on municipalities.

In order for the municipal sector to be financially sustainable in the long term, predictable and reliable funding and support is needed so municipal decision-makers can make long term strategic decisions to plan for the future. This includes funding for infrastructure assets.

Municipalities are experiencing new challenges resulting in higher operational and capital costs without new or enhanced revenue streams to support them, leaving few options to effectively balance their budgets. Municipal financial sustainability is an important part of future financial and strategic planning that depends on predictable and reliable funding.

The joint and several liability system in Ontario is fiscally challenging for municipal governments and has placed disproportionate accountability onto them. This has resulted in higher insurance premiums, increased settlements, and potentially reduced services to the public. This briefing note touches on the issue, recent history and current status.