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ZitatCities crumble while Harper cuts GST, mayors say
Municipal leaders vow to continue their fight for equivalent to 1¢ share of federal sales tax
Nov 08, 2007 04:30 AM Kerry Gillespie Sean Gordon Petti Fong Staff Reporters
Canadian families may save $150 a year from the federal government's GST cut, but their cities will still be crumbling down around them, say mayors across Canada.
The mayors had pleaded with Ottawa to give them one cent on the dollar of the GST, instead of cutting the tax to 5 per cent. They say their cities are plagued by inadequate public transit, ancient water and sewer lines, potholed roads and needy neighbourhoods without services.
"Our cities can't succeed without proper investment, and we can only have the funds to invest properly if we have a share of taxes that grow with the economy," said Toronto Mayor David Miller. "There's an emerging national consensus, and this particular government is on the wrong side of that national consensus."
Miller and other big-city mayors have spent the past year trying to convince Ottawa property taxes can't raise the kind of money cities need.
One cent of the GST would have put $5 billion into municipal coffers, but Ottawa ignored their call.
The mayors, undaunted, say the fight continues.
The one-cent push is part of a larger effort to realign the way tax dollars are distributed, said Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, who believes the current municipal model is badly outdated.
"There are two very big issues at stake: economic competitiveness, and the liveability of our urban centres. Both are crucial for Canada and for Quebec."
Cities across Canada currently get just eight cents of every tax dollar collected, while the provinces get 42 cents and Ottawa 50 cents.
Das Kanada Forum
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08.11.2007 12:00
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