August 27, 2007
By: Caroline Grech, Staff Writer, yorkregion.com

Not much savings: Mayors

York Region mayors were among those celebrating the announcement by Premier Dalton McGuinty this week that the province would pay the cost for some social services.

However, the celebration was short lived once they saw the minimal impact the move would have on region’s finances.

The province is relieving municipalities of $935 million in social program costs, which will eventually cover the full costs of disability support payments and drug benefits.

Despite that, numerous social services such as ambulances, social housing, day care and senior services remain on the municipal tab.

Vaughan Mayor Linda Jackson was initially pleased with the announcement, but had a change of heart once she learned the impact on York Region.

“Any money they’re uploading is a good thing. They should have done this a long time ago,” Ms Jackson said. “Now, the more I see it, I’m very disappointed. I thought it would mean more to the region.”

Once the numbers started filtering in from officials at York Region to their political counterparts, it became apparent the province’s move will make only a small dent in an ever-increasing social services budget.

The impact on the 2008 budget will be between $500,000 to $1 million, regional financial commissioner Lloyd Russell said

Richmond Hill mayor Dave Barrow and his Markham counterpart, Frank Scarpitti, are lauding the government’s decision.

“We always like it when they (the province) take responsibility for their own programs,” Mr. Barrow said.

“It’s a good first step, but I don’t think it is the final arrangement,” Mr. Scarpitti said, adding a further review of social services is expected to be completed by the province in the spring of 2008.

The downloading of services by the Mike Harris government in 1997 has been a bone of contention with municipalities since then.

With that in mind, Richmond Hill Deputy Mayor Brenda Hogg stressed more work had to be done.

While politicians might be hesitant to bite the hand that feeds them, John Cartwright, president of the Toronto and York Region Labour council, was blunt in his criticism.

“It’s clearly not enough,” Mr. Cartwright said. “When you look at the disability program, it’s a very small piece of it. Until that is fixed, you will continue to have a burden on taxpayers that shouldn’t be there.”

It’s not only the finances Mr. Cartwright was left questioning; it is also the timing, with an election only six weeks away.

“The schedule to upload should have been earlier. Sadly, this government is trying to govern as though the Common Sense Revolution never happened,” Mr. Cartwright said.

Ms Jackson also conceded the timing looks suspect.

“They’ve known about this problem for a long time and now they’re doing something about it? It’s an election ploy,” Ms Jackson said.

Mr. Scarpitti saw it differently, noting, “People are going to have to judge this government on what they’ve done. The task force on this issue was set up several months ago.”

— with files from David Fleischer

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