News Release
Mayor Kelly to Bring Atlantic Views to Big City Mayors’ Caucus
(Thursday, November 4/2004)
— Mayor Peter Kelly travels to Toronto later today to put
forth the position of Atlantic Canadian Mayors on a number of issues,
including the federal government’s proposed New Deal for Cities
and Communities, before a meeting of the Big City Mayors’
Caucus tomorrow.
Also, Mayor Kelly will attend a meeting tonight of a Federation
of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)/Big City Mayors Caucus(BCMC) working
group dealing with the federal commitment to give Canadian municipalities
a portion of its share of the federal gas tax. The BCMC will meet
with Infrastructure and Communities Minister John Godfrey tomorrow
morning in Toronto.
“This is a very significant meeting as Canadian municipalities
move closer to forging a new deal and new relationship with the
federal government, “Mayor Kelly said. “More importantly,
it is vital that the positions and concerns of Atlantic Canadian
Mayors be articulated to, and hopefully be supported by, the Mayors
of the 22 largest cities in the country through the Big City Mayors’
Caucus.”
Other discussion topics at tomorrow’s BCMC meeting will include
affordable housing programs, immigration, urban aboriginal issues
and community social/economic issues.
Delegates to the Atlantic Mayors’ Congress meeting in Halifax
last week welcomed the new federal focus given to municipalities
across Canada, but there were a number of concerns expressed about
the criteria, equity, delivery mechanism and timing of partnerships/programs
to provide new sources of revenue to local government.
The Congress unanimously passed a resolution that new revenues to
municipalities from the federal share of the Gas Tax should be based
on a 13/87 sharing principle; that is, one per cent off the top
for each of the 10 provinces and the three territories, and the
remaining 87 per cent to be distributed, based on population.
Expecting the first of the new Gas Tax revenues will begin to flow
to Canadian municipalities in 2005, the Atlantic Mayors will urge
the federal government to put in reserve any revenues for those
municipalities whose provincial government fails to reach agreement
with Ottawa on distribution of funds. In other words, no Canadian
municipality would lose out on any new revenues simply because the
federal and any provincial government could not agree on terms.
The Atlantic Mayors also endorsed a resolution outlining their position
on the federal government’s “New Deal for Cities and
Communities.”
The Congress agreed to press the Martin government for new partnerships
among all orders of government - based on respect for jurisdictions
and leading to cooperation, collaboration and consultation, as well
as leading to municipal autonomy to address local infrastructure
priorities.
• New revenue sources - providing net new funding, ensuring
there is no claw-back of funds, recognizing that infrastructure
needs grow with the economy.
• Sustainable communities - to build communities that balance
economic opportunity, social well-being and environmental conservation.
• Equity - different communities face unique challenges that
may require individual solutions, one solution will not fit all,
but equity is important.
• Accountability and results - regular reporting to citizens
on outcomes to ensure transparency.
• Administration- Flexible, simple and transparent program
administration - local administration of programs should not be
unduly burdensome.
• Revenue Flow- In the event a province does not reach an
agreement with the federal government regarding a share of the federal
Gas Tax revenue for its municipalities before the those revenues
flow in 2005, that province’s share for its municipalities
will be held in reserve until such an agreement is reached. In other
words, municipalities should not lose out on much-needed new revenues
simply because the federal and the respective provincial government(s)
are unable to reach agreement.
Mayor Kelly said he is optimistic about Prime Minister Paul Martin’s
new approach to dealing with Canadian municipalities and hopeful
the Nova Scotia government will soon come to terms with the federal
government regarding new revenue sources for local governments.
–30–
Mayor Peter Kelly
Chair, Atlantic Mayors Congress
(902) 222-9999
John O’Brien
Corporate Communications Officer
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) 490-6531
