MMAH and Local Public Health Issues

Diana Jardine, DirectorMunicipal Programs & Education BranchMinistry of Municipal Affairs and HousingalPHa All Members Meeting

January 31, 2003

Emergency Management• Emergency Plans Act - current• Emergency Management Act -

future • MMAH assistance to individuals,

small businesses and municipalities

• Generally, covers costs in excess of 4% of municipal budget

Ice Storm of 1998Governments provided $223.5

million in financial assistance

Led to changes in the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP)

Provincial Disaster Assessment Team (PDAT)

Walkerton

• Province has provided $42.5 million in financial assistance– Repair and upgrade water

infrastructure and assist affected individuals

• Fully committed to implementing all of Justice O’Connor’s Part I & Part II recommendations

Safe Drinking Water

Provincial Policy StatementPolicy direction on land use planning and developmentReviewed every 5 years

Safe Drinking Water ActSustainable Water and Sewage Systems ActNutrient Management Act

Ontario Building Code Amendments

Improved safety standards for public spas (whirlpools and hot tubs)

- panic buttons to stop water flow- anti-entrapment covers on drains- release mechanisms on drain

covers-restrictions on water flow, depth

and temperature

Municipal Act, 2001Came into effect January 1, 2003

More comprehensive and user friendly

Gives local governments flexibility for service delivery

Improves accountability to ratepayers

Spheres of jurisdiction over 10 service areas

Benchmarking

Municipal Performance Measurement Program (MPMP) [Entering 3rd year]

General governmentPoliceFireRoadsTransitWastewater / WaterSolid waste managementplanning

Benchmarking

Ontario Centre for Municipal Best Practices (OCMBP)www.municipalbestpractices.ca

Ontario Municipal CAO’s Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI)www.ombi.ca

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing