Mr. Speaker, it is time to resolve the real fiscal imbalance in Canada that falls on the shoulders of cities.
If the finance minister thinks that cities have only potholes to worry about, he should come in from the burbs for a day.
He might find it challenging to repair antiquated storm sewers, meet increasing transit demand, create new affordable housing units, tackle addiction and mental health issues, keep libraries and community centres open, and retrofit civic buildings to fight climate change, all on eight cents of every tax dollar collected in Canada.
He might find it unfair that our property taxes are going up while corporate taxes for big banks and big oil are going down.
City residents deserve healthy and sustainable communities and it is time that Ottawa did its share.