AMO Advocacy on Automated Speed Enforcement, Federal Development Charges Advocacy, Federal Government Pre-Budget Announcements, Federal-Provincial-Territorial Housing Forum Commitments, and Blue Box Amendments

Top Insights 

• In response to recent comments by Premier Ford about municipal use of automated speed enforcement, AMO wrote a letter to the Premier and Minister of Transportation. ASEs are evidence-based and cost-effective tools to support road safety that have broad public support.  
• AMO is advocating to the federal government that any federally mandated reductions to development charges will need to be replaced with a new, equally predictable, and sufficient revenue source that make Ontario municipalities whole. 
• The federal government announced a new federal industrial strategy which will include a new “Buy Canadian” procurement policy, including a roadmap for provinces and municipalities to adopt.  
• AMO stands ready to work with the provincial government to support conversations with the federal government about commitments agreed to by the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Forum on Housing. 
• The province finalized amendments to the Blue Box Regulation, addressing some municipal concerns.  

AMO Advocacy on Automated Speed Enforcement  

Earlier today, AMO sent a letter to the Premier and Minister of Transportation highlighting the important evidence-based role that automated speed enforcement (ASE) plays in improving road safety:  

• Automated speed enforcement is making roads safer. Automated speed enforcement cameras in Toronto reduced speeding vehicles by 45 per cent.  
• ASE is cost effective. ASE allows police officers to focus on other high-impact activities and net ASE revenues are reinvested in community safety improvements.  
• ASE is supported by most Ontarians. Nearly three-quarters of Ontario drivers support the use of ASE in targeted areas like school zones or community centres.  

Municipalities understand the need to use these tools thoughtfully and can be counted on to do so. AMO has sought to collaborate with the province to ensure that ASE is used effectively and to improve public understanding of their importance. 

Federal Development Charges Advocacy  

The federal government’s election platform pledged $6 billion federal funding over four years for Development Charge (DC) discounts of 50% for multi-unit residential housing projects. The platform also committed to working with provinces and territories to make municipalities whole. 

AMO has advocated to Minister Robertson and his ministry that DCs are a long-term and relatively stable revenue source, and any federally mandated reductions to DCs will need to be replaced with a new, equally predictable, and sufficient revenue source.   

The foregone revenue loss for Ontario municipalities would be significant. Federal funding must fully compensate Ontario municipalities with an increase in direct, stable and multi-year funding to match the full municipal revenue loss from any reduction in DCs. Additional financing tools or short-term funding commitments will not be enough to support Ontario’s long-term infrastructure needs. 

AMO has also highlighted the broader issue of chronic underinvestment in Ontario’s municipal infrastructure and called on the federal government to work with the province and municipalities to establish new and innovative mechanisms that will provide sustainable, predictable and enhanced funding for local infrastructure. 

Federal Government announces new industrial strategy to combat US tariffs 

Last week, Prime Minister Carney said to expect a fall budget with austerity and investment measures. 

Providing more insight into the planned investments, the Prime Minister announced six new strategic measures. These measures are designed to support workers and businesses most impacted by US tariffs and trade disruptions. They focus on helping workers acquire new skills and businesses retool their production and diversify their products, finding ways to increase their sales nationally through new and existing programs.  

One key initiative is the introduction of a new “Buy Canadian Policy” to boost domestic demand for Canadian businesses. As part of this new procurement policy, the federal government will provide a roadmap that provinces and municipalities can adopt for their own procurement practices. AMO will continue to work closely with the province to ensure new procurement measures – including this roadmap - reflect the needs of Ontario municipalities. AMO Policy will review and share insights on the “Buy Canadian Policy” and roadmap for municipalities once its released.  

AMO will also monitor its Major Projects Office, which is charged with fast-tracking nation building projects, for announcements that impact Ontario municipalities.

Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Forum on Housing and Homelessness   

The forum of federal, provincial and territorial ministers (FPT) across Canada met to discuss solutions to key housing and homelessness issues facing people in Canada. As detailed in a news release, the forum focused on a coordinated approach to advancing housing and homeless priorities and resulted in commitments to working together including to renew intergovernmental partnerships on affordable housing beyond the expiry of the National Housing Strategy (NHS) in 2028.  

AMO is pleased to see this commitment for continued FPT collaboration. Continued NHS funding is crucial because of the role it plays in providing access to safe, affordable, and inclusive housing by increasing housing supply, improving housing quality, and supporting vulnerable populations. These contributions are essential to helping to strengthen the social and economic prosperity of communities. AMO stands ready to support the Ontario government in conversations with their federal counterparts through a Team Ontario approach. 

Blue Box Regulation Amendments 

On September 4th, the province released finalized Blue Box Regulation (O. Reg 391/21) amendments. The regulation shifts the financial and operational responsibility of the blue box program from municipalities to industry.  

In July, AMO sent a letter to Minister McCarthy outlining municipal concerns about proposed Blue Box Regulation amendments. AMO is pleased to see that the government listened and adjusted some amendments in response. In particular, we are pleased that the province has:  

• Delayed enforceable recycling targets by two years instead of five, and  
• Delayed, instead of canceling, the expansion of service to multi-residential buildings.  

AMO will continue to advocate for a strong recycling system where manufacturers are responsible for their packaging and incentivized to reduce waste.