Ontario Examines Alberta Model

Sometimes the simplest expression of good intentions creates more trouble that it is worth. This seems to be the case in Ontario where Bill 92 is causing a significant division between the Ontario Municipal Association (AMO), the City of Toronto, and the provincial government. The province had hoped this Bill would ease, not enlarge, tensions.

Bill 92 consists of three short sections. One section gives the bill a the title, one says the Act comes into force when it receives Royal Assent, and the third reads as follows:

"Subsection 3(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001 is repealed and the following substituted: `The Province of Ontario endorses the principle of ongoing consultation between the Province and municipalities in relation to matters of mutual interest and, consistent with this principle, the Province shall consult with municipalities in accordance with a memorandum of understanding entered into between the Province and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.'"

The underlined words (from "and, consistent with this principle. . ." to the end) are proposed to be added to the 2001 version of this subsection. The terms of the memorandum referred to were outlined in Bulletin No. 50 (September 2004) and the full text is found at here. The MoU generally states that the way consultation will happen between provincial and local governments is through AMO.

Toronto thinks this is inappropriate as a method of consultation. "Toronto is the sixth largest government in Canada," says Toronto mayor David Miller. "We are the largest provider of childcare in Canada except for the Province of Quebec; and we are the largest social housing provider in Canada," He says that Toronto is large enough to have its own consultations with the province without have to go through AMO.

What is left unsaid by city politicians is that AMO generally represents the interests of many smaller municipalities, not big cities, since every member municipality, no matter what its size, has one vote in AMO decisions. As Toronto councillor Howard Moscoe remarked recently, "The issues are too important for Toronto to submerge its needs in a municipal organization."

A city committee has recommended to City Council that Toronto not renew its membership in AMO for the current year (this represents a loss to AMO of $72,000). It also recommends that the province use a consultation model similar to that in Alberta where that province consults concurrently with Calgary and Edmonton and with municipal associations, recognizing that Calgary and Edmonton are different than other municipalities in that province. Toronto suggests that in Ontario the province should sit down with Toronto, and perhaps with other large cities such as Ottawa, London and Hamilton, and with AMO and the rural municipal association.

The province has yet to respond to the city's request and it has yet to suggest amendments to Bill 92, which received First Reading last June.

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