Mayor of Huron East Raised Concerns Regarding Provincial Payments For Health Care To Municipalities At Council Meeting

by Bob Montgomery

Huron East Mayor, Bernie MacLellan, says the increase in provincial funding to municipalities to cover the cost of health care will be capped at one percent this year.

MacLellan says that obviously won't cover the costs to the municipalities because wages alone will be going up more than one percent. So his question is, if the province isn't going to cover the cost of health care, are they expecting property taxes to pay for health care. And if they are, that's not appropriate.

MacLellan says he understands that every level of government is trying to reduce their costs. But the only sources of income municipalities and counties have is property tax and they need every bit of that money to provide the services that they're expected to provide, without putting it towards health care.

Staff have been asked to come back to county council with a report and council will determine next steps after they receive the report.