VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 18, 2014) - Provincial and federal governments are balancing their books while local governments pick up the tab.
Between 1995 and 2008 regional districts and municipalities in British Columbia had $4 Billion dollars less to work with than they would have had at 1995 funding levels.
Reductions in direct provincial and federal government funding, social program underfunding and new requirements dictated by senior levels of government without local funding to support them, are all adding up.
A new report from Columbia Institute - "Who's Picking Up the Tab? " investigates the scale and scope of downloading onto local governments, using a fresh analysis of statistical and financial data along with new information gathered from surveys of local leaders and senior staff.
"Local governments can - and do - efficiently deliver services, and are happy to take on expanded roles when given the right resources. But downloading without access to new sources of funding is stretching local government thin. It's hitting us where we live." said executive director Charley Beresford.
"The growing concentration of Canadians in cities underscores the need for a major review of funding models, revenue streams and share for local government." said Beresford.
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