Social service experts in the north are bringing some concerns to the election table.
The Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association is asking the next provincial government to look at affordable housing, homelessness and health services as priorities. NOSDA Chair Iain Angus says the province needs to look at reducing the amount of money local council’s pay for land ambulance services.
Angus says Ontario is the only province in Canada that does not fund 100 per cent of the costs for land ambulance or social housing. He says in terms of social housing, we have downloaded the operating costs at a local level a number of years ago. Angus says even though the provincial and federal governments have promised capital funds for new and upgrading housing, all upkeep and shortfalls rest on the taxpayers.
He says the province needs to look at ways to improve the delivery of social services, especially in the north. He adds these are issues that extend far past this political cycle.
(Written By: Mackenzie Read)
