Ontario’s Big City Mayors Meet with Minister Calandra & Pass Resolutions on Federal Funding for Additional Shelter Space and Provincial Support for Regional Innovation Centres

*Please see below a news release issued by the Ontario's Big City Mayors (OBCM) caucus.December 15, 2023Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM) met today to discuss key issues facing Ontario’s largest cities and were joined by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Honourable Paul Calandra.The Mayors discussed OBCM’s key priorities including housing policies, the mental health and homelessness crisis and a new municipal-provincial fiscal framework with Minister Calandra. Ontario’s Big City Mayors reaffirmed their commitment to meeting their housing goals in partnership with the province. They also asked the Minister to confirm the province’s plan for making municipalities financially whole and addressing other impacts of the More Homes Built Faster Act, a key OBCM ask since the introduction of the legislation last year.OBCM’s recent request for possible changes to the eligibility requirements for the Building Faster Fund was also discussed. The funding uses housing starts to measure housing progress which municipalities do not control. OBCM has asked the Minister to consider using another method to measure municipal progress in order to receive this much needed funding. The Minister committed to working with the municipal sector on how we can deliver the housing-enabling infrastructure required to build more homes. We look forward to continuing this collaborative relationship with Minister Calandra as we work to address the key issues impacting Ontario’s biggest cities.At the meeting the Mayors also passed two motions on current issues impacting all member municipalities. These motions are requesting that the Province continue funding Regional Innovation Centre across Ontario and support the City of Toronto's request that the federal government provide funding and support the opening of federal spaces for those who need shelter including homeless, refugee and asylum claimant populations.

"Today’s meeting was an important one, as we were able to focus on the critical issues facing all of Ontario’s biggest cities including housing and the mental health and homelessness crisis in our communities. I was pleased that our members unanimously passed two motions focusing on much needed funding for Regional Innovation Centres in our communities as well as a request to the federal government for funding and support for additional shelter spaces." -- OBCM Chair and City of Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward"We were happy to welcome Minister Calandra today and have the opportunity to update him on OBCM’s key priorities. We look forward to continuing these productive conversations on our shared goals including getting more homes built, and how we can do it together with the proper provincial funding and programs in place for municipalities." -- OBCM Vice-Chair and City of London Mayor Josh Morgan

About Ontario’s Big City MayorsOntario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), formerly known as the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario, includes mayors of 29 single and lower-tier cities with a population of 100,000 or more, who collectively represent nearly 70 percent of Ontario’s population. OBCM advocates for issues and policies important to Ontario’s largest cities.