When compared with allowances for municipalities in last year鈥檚 federal budget, this 2018鈥檚 may be disappointing to local governments.
It was 鈥渁 finance minister鈥檚 budget,鈥� says 麻豆社国产Mayor Patricia Heintzman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not really heavy on government programs, it was heavy on tax policy stuff.鈥�
The 2017 federal budget was stronger on municipal issues such as transit, housing, and daycare 鈥� but this year, not so much, according to the mayor. Following the release of the National Housing Strategy in November, she鈥檇 hoped there would have been more funding to directly address housing in the budget.
鈥淭here are pieces in there, particularly for some First Nations housing, but I really think it would have been nice to see some real long-term, significant investment in some social housing, next-generation affordable housing, purpose-built rentals,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t didn鈥檛 quite give the funding that the National Housing Strategy needs to really get kick-started.鈥�
Squamish, like other municipalities, could have really used the money to support affordable housing in the district. There are only a handful of purpose-built rental buildings in Squamish, and they are 40 to 50 years old.
鈥淭hese funds would have helped those buildings improve dramatically,鈥� Heintzman said. 鈥淯nless you put money behind it to make the strategy work鈥� how are municipalities going to deal with the housing crisis?鈥�
Housing issues aside, there are still takeaways for local governments. Funds to address opioid overdoses, for entrepreneurship and small business, and revenue-sharing with municipalities following cannabis legalization, are all additions to the federal budget the mayor supports.
There were eight opioid-related overdose deaths last year, and more injuries, in 麻豆社国产and its neighbouring municipalities. The majority of deaths were in Squamish, according to Heintzman. Small municipalities are dealing with an opioid epidemic as well 鈥� it鈥檚 not just the big cities 鈥� and federal funding is necessary to alleviate the crisis.
鈥淭his is going to take a really integrated, strategic approach from the federal, provincial and municipal government,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any community that鈥檚 immune from this problem.鈥�
As the date for cannabis legalization approaches, Heintzman said she鈥檚 glad to see that tax revenue on marijuana will be shared with municipalities.
鈥淎 lot of the regulation and implementation is going to happen at the community level,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 would like to see a fair share given to local governments; we鈥檙e the ones on the ground dealing with the situation from a day-to-day regulation framework.鈥�
As for childcare, 麻豆社国产could have used more money. In a previous budget, the Liberals pledged $7.5 billion over 11 years on funding with provinces, and the province will be delivering some of that re-directed funding to municipalities over the next three years. Heintzman hopes the District will be the recipient of some of that money.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 have enough childcare in 麻豆社国产for the number of kids we have,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need more people trained in early childhood education and development, and you need to pay them more, or you鈥檙e simply not going to have enough workers.鈥�
The federal government included a commitment to $1.2-billion over five years for parental benefits, which will give five extra weeks of leave when both parents share it. This too, for her, is a plus.
鈥淧arents need to be parents,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom a personal point of view, you support parents when they are having kids, they come back and get into the workforce and continue to work. I think it鈥檚 fair.鈥�
The federal government is also funding entrepreneurship, something she supports.
鈥淚t was quite strong on entrepreneur sector stuff, particularly funding for entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs in particular. They seem to be quite strong on innovation and entrepreneurialism, which is quite good for our commerce and businesses in town,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 think every community has to pay attention to its economy. It helps the people who live here and make a living here.鈥�
From a cursory glance, the budget seems to be a positive thing for small business owners too.
鈥淚鈥檝e had small businesses: they鈥檙e challenging,鈥� she said. 鈥淪mall business is the backbone of our economy. They employ more people than all the large businesses combined. You need to make sure they鈥檙e not struggling.鈥�
