A survey commissioned by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) says Ontarians believe their municipal governments could be much more efficient with use of their funding, with about 70 per cent agreeing that a lot more could be done to find savings and control spending.
A survey by research firm Navigator cites high property taxes and housing prices as areas of utmost concern.
Only one-third of Ontarians feel municipalities should have greater tax powers, with about the same number of homeowners saying the annual property tax increases in their community have been fair and reasonable.
“In the past, some municipalities have asked for the ability to implement a municipal land transfer tax upon home purchases, or a new sales tax. Municipal governments have a responsibility to their residents and should first and foremost be looking to make better use of their resources before deciding to implement new taxes,” says Tim Hudak, CEO of OREA. “Burdensome new taxes like the unfair MLTT only add to the existing red tape and regulation standing between young families and the Canadian dream of home ownership.”
The report also found that certain local services are viewed as operating more efficiently than others. A majority of Ontarians believe that their local firefighting, garbage collection/waste disposal and police services make efficient use of their funding, while only 40 per cent believed local school boards and municipal roads were efficient.
