Provincial funding shortfall of human and health-related programs reaches $77 million in 2025
Newmarket – York Regional Council received an update on Provincial Funding Shortfall of Human and Health-related Programs and Services. The report outlines costs to York Region to deliver four provincially mandated programs: Homelessness Community Programs, Long-Term Care, Paramedic emergency services and Public Health. It is estimated the shortfall in funding from the province in 2025 will be $77 million.
“York Region is responsible for delivering essential programs and services to our communities that contribute to resident and community health and well-being,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Eric Jolliffe. “But we cannot do it alone. York Region and the Province must continue working together to identify sustainable funding agreements that ensure these vital services remain available and are responsive to support our growing and diverse community needs.”
Although there have been funding increases from senior levels of government in some programs, these increases have not kept pace with growing costs such as inflation and increased complexity of client needs. Increasing costs are adding an extra burden on the Regional tax levy to supplement funding. Between 2022 and 2025, more than $219 million of tax levy is estimated to be used to address provincial funding shortfalls.
“While we appreciate funding we have received from senior levels of government, sustainable funding is needed to permanently ensure services delivered by municipalities, on behalf of the province, don’t put extra costs on municipal budgets,” said City of Vaughan Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, Chair of Community and Health Services. “By working together, York Region and the Province can overcome this challenge and ensure the high-quality human and health services programs residents rely on every day remain effective and available to everyone.”
York Region’s four provincially mandated human and health programs experiencing a shortfall:
- Homelessness Community Programs: Helps people who are either at-risk or experiencing homelessness to find or keep housing, with a $24.5 million shortfall in 2025
- Long-Term Care: Operates two homes where residents receive 24-hour nursing and personal care, with a $27.1 million funding shortfall in 2025
- Paramedics: Responds to emergency medical calls, delivers lifesaving treatment and stabilizes, monitors and transports patients to hospital, with a $4.6 million shortfall in 2025
- Public Health: Delivers 36 programs and services to monitor and assess the health of communities, promote healthy behaviours, policies and environments and prevent diseases and keep our communities safe, with a $20.7 million shortfall in 2025
Provincial funding formulas vary across programs and ministries. Each of the four programs listed have different funding formulas. However, in all cases, provincial funding received by York Region is not keeping pace.
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.25 million residents and 57,000 businesses with more than 629,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices
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Media Contact:
Tamara Ostrowski, Corporate Communications,
The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 1-877-464-9675, ext. 71226, Cell: 905-251-6412
Email: @email
