Ford Conservatives Abandon Ottawa…Again

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
​May 9, 2023

QUEEN’S PARK – Ontario Liberals are calling on the Ford Conservatives to review Ontario’s Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) and give the City of Ottawa fair and adequate funding to tackle the housing and homelessness crisis.

With a population that’s only three times larger, the City of Toronto is receiving 60 times more funding than the City of Ottawa.

“Once again, Doug Ford is abandoning the City of Ottawa and its residents,” said John Fraser, MPP for Ottawa South. “Doug Ford has to give Ottawa its fair share of funding to support its residents and the most vulnerable in our community. It’s unacceptable that Toronto received over $40 million for the same programs while Ottawa only received $845,100.”

“Doug Ford ignored Ottawa during the occupation, abandoned residents after the derecho storm left them in crisis, and is now, once again, abandoning the City as we have people who need affordable housing options,” said Stephen Blais, MPP for Orléans.

For years, the Ford Government has shortchanged the City of Ottawa. After last year’s devastating derecho windstorm, the City of Ottawa did not receive any provincial funding to support residents. The City also has yet to receive any provincial funding to offset the cost of policing caused by the occupation of downtown Ottawa. 

“In my riding and throughout the City of Ottawa, we have more vulnerable populations that desperately need our support, not less,” said Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa—Vanier. “This insufficient funding will force the City of Ottawa to cancel 54 supportive housing units that were expected to become operational over the next 18 months and could severely compromise Ottawa’s 10-year housing and homelessness plan to build between 570 to 850 new affordable housing options.”

Ontario’s second-largest City should be treated fairly and be provided with sufficient funding to meet the needs of its residents. The Ford Government needs to begin working for the residents of Ottawa, starting with increasing the City’s HPP funding to $16 million.