Funding falling short
By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Chatham-Kent officials want everyone – including residents and councillors – to get loud and proud about lobbying upper tier governments for funding.
That was the message delivered by chief financial officer Gord Quinton during a presentation to council recently.
According to Quinton, current methods aren’t getting results.
“I hate to say it, but it’s not working that well,” Quinton told council of the traditional approach. “We do need some help over the next decade to get done what needs to be done in Chatham-Kent. We do have aging assets and we need to look at replacing them and invest in Chatham-Kent and we need a partner from upper levels to invest with us.”
Quinton pointed out that C-K just went through a provincial election and is heading toward a federal election April 28.
“As our new representatives develop their goals, we want Chatham-Kent to be high on the list,” he explained, noting the “tangerine man’s tariff policies” have been grabbing the spotlight.
“You haven’t heard municipal funding discussed in these campaigns lately,” he admitted. “We want people to loudly and proudly advocate for Chatham-Kent. We can’t do it all on the backs of the property taxpayers.”
According to Quinton, Chatham-Kent is one of only three municipalities that are capped under the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. C-K is grouped in with Thunder Bay and Sudbury and only receives $10 million annually. The fund is intended to be used to support infrastructure in municipalities with a large rural component.
However, Quinton said the need, under the province’s own guidelines, shows Chatham-Kent should receive $25 million. He’s not sure when or why the Ontario government capped C-K, noting it’s puzzling.
Other streams of funding have haven’t kept pace as well, Quinton noted, adding that 30 years ago, upper-level funding ranged from 75- to 90-per-cent grants on assets, but today’s allotments average between 10 to 25 per cent.
He used the example of bridges that need to be revamped – a hefty cost passed on to ratepayers.
Quinton said the property tax system is broken in Ontario.
“Municipalities in Ontario need a new revenue tool,” Quinton said. “This isn’t a new statement and most treasurers agree with it,” noting many costs – such as roads and affordable housing – have been downloaded onto municipalities.
“We need more annual predictable funding that we can rely on coming from upper levels,” Quinton stressed.
He acknowledged that members of council are working on the issue, but more work needs to be done with local MPPs and the MP to demonstrate the need for long-term reliable funding.
“They can’t act if they don’t know, and they really need to be educated,” he added.
“We need to demonstrate (to them) that we are funding our share,” he said, noting C-K invests $80 million a year in infrastructure. in 1998, it was $1 million.
Some councillors expressed frustration, noting adjacent communities such as Sarnia seem to benefit from more funding.
South Kent Coun. Anthony Ceccacci wondered why C-K funding requests and applications fall short.
“Why in Chatham-Kent, do we continuously draw the short end of the stick all the time?” Ceccacci asked, pointing out homelessness funding as an example where other places receive “significantly” more money.
“That’s the great question, I can’t give you a specific answer,” Quinton said, stressing the quality of the applications prepared by staff is excellent.
“That’s why reliable, predictable funding would be nice so we wouldn’t have to be begging,” he added, noting there are 444 municipalities in Ontario vying for the same funding.
“I just think we need to do a better job of the advocacy part,” he said, adding refusals are “hard to take” and frustrating for staff.
Chief administrative officer Michael Duben agreed that advocacy is paramount, noting an administrative position is being created to fulfill that role in part.
Keeping asset management plans up-to-date and having shovel-ready sites are also keys to success, he said.
“There are a few things we can do to be a little bit better,” Duben said, but admitted he “can’t explain” why Sarnia received “so much more homelessness funding than us. I don’t get it.”
Mayor Darrin Canniff said C-K needs to continue to advocate for stable funding, as he wants only a three-per-cent increase tax increase in 2026.
“We want general funding,” Canniff said. “We need to keep working hard because that’s going to make the difference.”
