Province arbitrarily cut tornado assistance funding for Waterloo-Wellington municipalities, MPP Arnott tells Legislature

For the third time since the Ontario Legislature resumed sitting this fall, Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott stood up in the House to support tornado assistance for the Townships of Centre Wellington and Mapleton, the County of Wellington and the Grand River Conservation Authority.

He made the remarks in the House on November 29th in light of information that municipalities in his riding had their Provincial financial assistance reduced arbitrarily by the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

Mr. Arnott intensified his criticism of the Government, quoting the Mayor of Centre Wellington, Russ Spicer.

“Mayor Spicer has correctly complained about the fact that the Minister of Municipal Affairs has arbitrarily reduced our grants by 4 per cent of the municipalities’ ‘Taxation for Own Purposes’ which cuts Centre Wellington’s allotment by a whopping $234,000,” he told the House referring to a letter by the Mayor.

“In 2004, this Government boasted about its generosity to the City of Peterborough when it granted over $20 million to help that community respond to a flooding disaster. But did they cut Peterborough’s grant back by 4 per cent of its ‘Taxation for Own Purposes?’ No, they did not,” he continued.

“Clearly the Minister has discretionary power to determine the dollar figure of a special assistance grant,” Mr. Arnott added. “If the Minister fails to increase tornado assistance to the communities in Waterloo-Wellington, then his treatment of my municipalities will be nothing short of mean and miserly.”

“Again I call upon the Minister of Municipal Affairs to meet with officials from the Townships, the County, the GRCA, and give them the financial assistance and respect they need and deserve,” he concluded.