Town Leverages Provincial Safe Re-start Money

Town Leverages Provincial Safe Re-start Money HALTON HILLS, ON – Lost revenues, increased costs and savings were the basis of areport brought forward by the Town’s Treasurer, detailing the impacts of COVID-19 on the municipality. Revenue loss was largely due to program cancellations and facility closures, reduced development application revenues, and fee waivers for ActiVan, third party loans and library fines. The Town incurred unanticipated expenses for increased cleaning and sanitation, extra personnel protective equipment for staff, technology, and staff overtime due to COVID-19. Together, revenue losses and additional expenses contributed to almost $1.3M in net COVID-19 related losses for the municipality. Costs were partially offset through revenue savings achieved by reductions in part-time staff, contracted services, operating expenditures and discretionary spending. Funding from the Provincial Safe Re-start Program has allowed the municipality to re-coup all its forecast 2020 COVID-19 related losses of $1.3M. Under the Provincial Safe Re-start Program, monies are awarded through two streams – Municipal Operations and Transit. The Town of Halton Hills received $1,334,000 and $71,987 respectively to offset 2020 COVID-19 related losses. “I am very pleased that the Province recognizes the financial strain on municipalities to manage the impacts of the pandemic,” said Mayor Rick Bonnette. “At the local level, we are doing what we can to support our communities and the Ontario Safe Re-Start Program is most welcome and helpful in supporting the Town to meet the needs of our community.”