West Lincoln Receiving Increased Support Through Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund

December 13, 2024

Smithville – As part of the Ontario government’s historic increase to financial support for municipalities, Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, announced today that the Township of West Lincoln will be receiving $1,232,900 in provincial support through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

This is a local increase of $186,700 in provincial funding, directly benefiting residents and ratepayers in West Lincoln.

MPP Oosterhoff was joined at the Municipal Offices of West Lincoln in Smithville by Steve Pinsonneault, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Rural Affairs, and Cheryl Ganann, Mayor of the Township of West Lincoln, to announce the increase in funding.

“This provincial support is critical for growing regions like Niagara – especially here in West Lincoln, a key municipality designated for future growth,” said MPP Oosterhoff.

“Our government will continue to work together with our municipal partners to build more homes, support economic growth and strengthen Ontario’s communities in a way that is sustainable and responsible.”

“This announcement continues to demonstrate our government’s commitment to rural and Northern municipalities,” said MPP Pinsonneault.

“We have created a stand-alone ministry dedicated to rural affairs and we are listening and taking action, as well as building supports that will enable small towns and rural communities to thrive and prosper. Increased funding through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund will ensure small, rural and Northern Ontario municipalities receive additional base funding needed to address local priorities.”

“We most definitely appreciate this funding enhancement that the province has provided to small, rural and Northern municipalities through an increase to the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund,” said Mayor Ganann.

“This funding is critical for our municipality which has a large rural component with high farmland percentages and a limited property tax base.”

The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund supports small, rural and Northern municipalities with challenging fiscal circumstances and limited property assessment, as well as helping municipalities that are adjusting to year-over-year funding changes.

This past November, the Ontario government announced an increase of $100 million to the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, bringing the total funding envelope to $600 million by 2026.

“We have heard from rural and Northern municipalities that they need more support to meet the financial challenges they face in delivering services to their communities,” said Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.

“Municipalities are critical partners in delivering important local services and we will continue working together to build more homes, support economic growth and strengthen Ontario’s communities in a way that is sustainable and responsible.”

Ontario has been steadily increasing support to municipalities. From 2019-2023, key provincial support to municipalities grew by over forty-five percent. In 2023 alone, the government provided almost $10 billion to Ontario municipalities through key transfers. This includes increasing the Homelessness Prevention Program to $654 million annually, as well as enhanced support for rural and Northern communities, such as the introduction of the $15 million Northern Ontario Resource Development Support program in 2021 and investment of an additional $1 billion for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund over five years, starting in 2022.