Today, the Ministry of Finance issued 2019 allocation notices from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF). The total funding envelope to municipalities will decrease by $5 million to $505 million. These dollars are distributed to 389 municipalities across the province and provide unconditional operating support for local frontline services.

Letters to Heads of Council and Treasurers are being sent at this time. Allocation notices may also be viewed on the Ministry’s website.

For the past several years, the Ministry has hosted an annual meeting of almost 30 municipal treasurers to discuss the future of the Fund, its design, and ongoing evolution. These discussions have helped to inform some of the Province’s funding decisions. AMO understands the OMPF will be reviewed for 2020. Municipal treasurers will be convened again in 2019 to provide input to this review. The OMPF is a critical component of the provincial-municipal fiscal relationship.

The Ministry’s changes for 2019 demonstrate a continued effort to distribute OMPF allocations based on need and the specific fiscal challenges of different types of municipalities. The remaining transitional and stabilization grants are an integral part of the overall envelope in future years. There remains an enduring need for a strong equalization program across the province.

Historical OMPF Allocations by Grant (in millions of $)