North Stormont will receive a 5.2 per cent increase in its OMPF funding from the province for 2024. It will receive $537,500 next year, which is still the lowest amount of the six lower-tier municipalities that make up SDG Counties.
South Dundas’s OMPF funding will go up by 2.8 per cent to $1,272,000, an increase of over $35,000.
South Glengarry will receive a 0.5 per cent increase to its 2024 OMPF funding, which amounts to $1,014,700.
SDG Counties continues to be the biggest loser in the OMPF funding as the Ontario government continues to shift funding from the upper to lower tier governments across the province. SDG will see another 15 per cent cut to its OMPF funding in 2024, dropping to $505,100.
Among the remaining lower-tier municipalities in the Counties, North Dundas had the largest cut to its OMPF for 2024. That township sees a 4.4 per cent drop in funding, amounting to $929,200 next year.
South Stormont will see a 3.9 per cent cut to $975,000, and North Glengarry will receive 2.6 per cent less next year. North Glengarry remains the highest funded out of the six lower-tier municipalities next year and will receive $2,185,800 from the province.
Around the region, the City of Brockville sees a 16 per cent increase in their OMPF funding to $1,522,200 while the City of Cornwall sees a two per cent cut to $4,559,000. Western neighbours Edwardsburgh-Cardinal saw a 0.15 per cent cut to its OMPF, amounting to a net $1,000 reduction. Next year it will receive $673,300. Prescott sees a 0.6 per cent increase to its funding, which will be $1,597,700 in 2024.
The OMPF is the largest funding grant for municipalities from the provincial government. Funding components include assessment equalization, and for northern and/or rural communities.
“Our government recognizes the unique challenges northern, rural and small communities face,” said Ontario’s Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy with the announcement. “This is why the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, along with other programs, are critical in building stronger and resilient communities across the province.”
The funding formula takes into account the number of households in a municipality, property value assessments, the amount of farm land available and in production in a municipality, and Statistics Canada data on average incomes and the ability for the tax base to support municipal operations. Residential housing growth also factors into the funding calculations.
Unlike previous years’ announcments, a detailed breakdown of each municipality’s OMPF funding was not released publicly.
This article was originally written for the Morrisburg Leader.
