A recent decision by the Ford government is giving Northern Ontario townships a breather.
The Conservative government had planned to make cuts to public health, ambulance and child care funding this year but has opted to go back on its original intent and decide not to fulfill the cuts.
Mushkegowuk-James Bay MPP Guy Bourgouin says it is good that the government took a step back on their previously announced cutbacks, but it took immense pressure from big southern cities for this to take place.
Bourgouin says worse is that municipal budgets were set, and the Ford government even promised not to effect any changes.
“They’ve done their budget, and then the Ford government announces and says they we weren’t going to do anything, saying no we are not going to touch any funding, then they turn around and they cut the funding.”
FONOM President Danny Whalen in a CBC report stated that the lack of consultation between the province and municipalities is not the proper way to do business.
Bourgouin echoes these sentiments.
“He’s accurate, this government doesn’t consult with anybody, they say they do, they don’t consult with, for example the school boards or the hospitals, they do these callous cuts and with no prior consultation. That’s exactly what has happened throughout the province with any cut they announce.”
With the announcement a $200 million funding reduction that was set for the public health units across the province has now been put on hold.
