TORONTO — This afternoon, Ontario Green Leader Mike Schreiner delivered his speech on the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference.
His remarks focused on how the Ontario Greens plan to work with municipalities as a partner to construct livable and inexpensive communities that work for people and the planet. The kind of communities described within the Ontario Greens’ recently launched housing strategy.
“The province can’t keep downloading costs onto municipalities and cutting funding while you need it most,” Schreiner said. “It’s unsustainable and irresponsible. The province must step up.”
Schreiner detailed that the Ontario Greens are committed to provincially funding 50% of all shelter and community housing costs in addition to 50% of all transit operating costs.
Schreiner also highlighted the importance of providing municipalities with funding for infrastructure climate adaptation and emphasized the economic potential of the green economy to “kickstart the economy with recent careers and good, clean jobs.”
“Let’s make Ontario the worldwide leader in sustainable mining and EV manufacturing,” Schreiner stated. “In green constructing design and construction, in sustainable farming and forestry, leading the best way in bioproducts.
“The underside line is that climate motion is job motion.”
Schreiner concluded his remarks by asking the municipalities to assume the kind of communities they need and the kind of government that could make that a reality.
“Imagine a provincial government, not driven by hyper partisanship or big money donations, but an actual commitment to working with you to construct the communities you ought to lead,” Schreiner closed.
“The Ontario Greens are committed to providing the leadership needed to construct the world your residents want. So let’s get to work on constructing that world – together.”
