Peel Region shortchanged when it comes to funding for community services, report says

Peel Region is critically underfunded when it comes to community services and receives "far less" provincial money per capita compared to other urban areas, a new report says.

The report, commissioned by the Metamorphosis Network, which represents more than 100 non-profit agencies, says "systematic underinvestment" in Peel Region has resulted in fewer child-care spaces, long-term care beds and social housing units than other areas, as well as less funding for public health, legal aid and mental health services.

Shortfalls in each of these areas has directly impacted the personal and social welfare of residents, affecting the local economy and hampering the region's ability to attract and retain workers, the report says.

Sean Meagher, coordinator of the Metamorphosis Network, said the report analyzed the funding of individual services, looked at where provincial investment and services levels lagged behind other jurisdictions and provincial averages, and identified opportunities for investment.

"What we're finding is that, it doesn't matter where you look, the problem is almost everywhere," Meagher said.

"We are 6,000 child-care spaces behind where we ought to be. We have about a third as much social housing per capita as places like Toronto, Ottawa or Hamilton. We have 1,700 fewer long-term care beds than we would have if we were just funded at the provincial average."

The report builds on previous research released in 2024 that estimated the region's funding gap at about $868 million or $578 per resident.

Meagher said the problem is longstanding and the result of underfunding by successive provincial governments.

"This goes back for decades. This is not something that came about yesterday," he said. "We're not expecting it to get solved tomorrow. And we are pleased that there are some efforts to chip away at this a little bit."

Meagher said the province funds community services based in part on existing infrastructure.

"Because Peel doesn't have as much infrastructure, we don't get as much funding. We don't have social housing, so we don't get funding for social housing. So we stay behind the eight ball forever."

The region needs a systematic plan to ensure provincial funding is equitable and Meagher said Metamorphosis thinks it needs to sit down with the province to fix the funding formulas that have favoured older, more established cities as opposed to newer and growing urban areas, such as Brampton and Mississauga.

At a Brampton community centre on Thursday, representatives from the organization made their case to officials at a provincial pre-budget consultation meeting, telling them that the region is being shortchanged.

Ontario MPP Graham McGregor, who represents Brampton North and is also minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, was given a copy of the report at the meeting.