March 19, 2019
For Immediate Release
Tens of Millions to Flow to Mississauga through 2019 Federal Budget
“Today, the federal government reaffirmed the important role that cities play in powering the nation by making several strategic, long-term investments in our growth. This year’s budget signals a modernization in our relationship with the federal government by putting tools and funding directly in the hands of cities like Mississauga. Many of the investments will flow directly to us, ensuring that we are able to access funding quickly to deliver results for residents while addressing our city-building priorities.
As the Mayor of Mississauga, Canada’s 6th largest City, I am pleased with many of the investments made in the federal budget that tackle many of the issues we face in our city.
In particular, I’m pleased to see investments in these specific areas that are critical to building a 21st Century city:
Municipal Top-Up: The federal government has committed to a one-time, doubling of the gas tax fund to $2.2 billion. Funding will be directly transferred to cities, something I have been calling for along with my Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) colleagues for many years now. This is an important change and one of the largest fund transfers from the federal government to municipalities. This top-up will help us build strong cities and spur economic growth by helping cities address infrastructure deficits and plan for future transit and roads.
Make Home Ownership More Affordable for First-Time Home Buyers: Through the First Time Home Buyers Incentive, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will invest up to the $1.25 billion over three years to make it easier for first time home-buyers to get in the market. It will also include increasing the RRSP withdrawal limit from $25,000 to $35,000. This will help Mississauga further activate our “Making Room for the Middle” Affordable Housing Strategy.
Green Infrastructure and Climate Resiliency: Through the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), cities will be able to access $1 billion in funding directly through FCM to help improve energy efficiency in residential, commercial and municipal properties. Three streams of funding can be accessed to help retrofit and improve energy conservation of community buildings ($300M), provide financing for residents to undertake home energy retrofits ($300M), support affordable housing development ($350M) and help small communities to manage their assets ($60M).
Skills Development: To help ensure that our workforce has the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing economy where precarious employment is on the rise, workers will be able to access up to $250 a year to help pay for training and income support through the new Canada Training Benefit. Our Economic Development Strategy at the City of Mississauga has focused on building our skilled talent and developing our workforce to meet the demands of a changing economy.
As I have said repeatedly, city-building is nation-building. As cities, we build the infrastructure that makes our economy and our country run. I’m pleased the federal government recognizes the important role that cities play in our federation and are making targeted investments to help us deliver services and build capital for all Canadians.
I look forward to working closely with Council, staff and residents in the coming months to determine how this money will be allocated to best move Mississauga forward.”
– Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga
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