Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of St. Catharines delegation at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference has wrapped up a series of meetings with provincial ministers and officials to help keep the City’s strategic priorities front and centre.
“We appreciate being able to have productive discussions with provincial leaders about the issues that matter to the City of St. Catharines. From support for the City’s infrastructure needs, development, transportation, and sports tourism, this year’s team spoke clearly and passionately about the needs of our community,” says CAO David Oakes. “We are thankful to AMO for supporting these important discussions.”
Meetings were held with ministers to discuss the city’s priorities and challenges including:
- Streamline development funding and a request for an expansion with three years of continuous funding. The city also asked the province for consistent timelines for all agencies that are a part of development.
- Enterprise Centre funding – the city would like to see funding become a permanent line item in the provincial budget, and for increases to be tied to inflation.
- Support for infrastructure needed to create alternative commuter transit linking Niagara to Toronto via Lake Ontario
- Standardizing Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) collection at the provincial level and additional funding for the 2024 World Rowing Championships and the local film and sports sectors
- Infrastructure needs and support for the city’s Master Servicing Plan
Officials joined with the Niagara Region, Town of Lincoln and Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, to ask Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson to consider funding an irrigation system in Niagara.
AMO is a non-profit organization representing Ontario’s 444 municipal governments.