06-11-2024 - No. 05The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Resolution
Honourable Kinga Surma
;try of Infrastructure
Bay Street, 5th floor
nto, Ontario M7A 2J3
...,..� via email: Minister.M01(aiontario.ca
Dear Sir/Madam:
Re: Resolution — Motion in Support of the Town of Niagara -on -the -Lake - Federal
Infrastructure Funding Not Keeping Pace with Population Growth
This is to advise that at the May 28, 2024 Council Meeting in the City of Niagara Falls,
the following resolution was adopted with respect to the above noted matter:
No. 5
June 11, 2024
Moved by: Councillor Victor Pietrangelo Seconded by: Councillor Mona Patel
CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS RESOLUTION
FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING NOT KEEPING PACE WITH POPULATION
GROWTH
WHEREAS, Canada is experiencing record population growth, having welcomed 1.25
million new Canadians last year alone, and
WHEREAS, According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) we
need to build at least 3.5 million additional homes by 2030, and municipalities need to
build or expand the infrastructure to accommodate this growth; and
WHEREAS, FCM has estimated that the cost of the municipal infrastructure required
support housing development is, on average, in the range of $107,000 per unit; and
WHEREAS, According to Statistics Canada the cost of upgrade existing municipal
infrastructure so that it is in a state of good repair is in the range of $170 billion; and
WHEREAS, Non-residential construction price inflation has risen by 29% since the end
of 2020 and municipalities are facing soaring costs for infrastructure project without a
corresponding growth in revenue; and
WHEREAS, Unlike federal and provincial revenue, municipal tax revenue has not
increased in recent years along with inflation, economic growth or population growth;
and
WHEREAS, Municipalities are facing a gap in federal infrastructure funding as the 10-
year Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program has come to an end, the Canada
Community -Building Fund is being renegotiated and the Permanent Public Transit Fund
is set to start in 2026; and
WHEREAS, The Canada Community -Building Fund (CCBF), which was formerly known
as the federal Gas Tax Fund, provides more than $2.4 billion in annual capital funding
directly to municipalities through a predictable allocation mechanism, and municipalities
of all sizes use the CCBF to deliver direct results for Canadians by building and
renewing critical core public infrastructure, including water infrastructure, local roads,
public transit and community, and cultural and recreational facilities;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the federal government work with agreement
signatories and municipalities to maintain the CCBF as a source of direct, predictable,
long-term funding for local infrastructure priorities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government commit, in Budget 2024, to
the next generation of infrastructure programs, including a new program for water and
wastewater infrastructure and an increase to the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation
Fund; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government convene provinces,
territories and municipalities to negotiate a "Municipal Growth Framework" to modernize
the way that municipalities are funded in order to enable Canada's long-term growth."
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed
WILLIAM G. MATSON, CITY CLERK
Carried Unanimously
'e� . ........... .. ....
JAMES M. DIODATI, MAYOR
If any further information is required, please contact the undersigned at 905-356-7521,
x4342.
Yours Truly,
2c
Bill Matson
City Clerk, City of Niagara Falls