TORONTO — The Ontario government is providing almost $10 million to help large municipalities find better and more efficient ways to operate and save taxpayers’ dollars. This investment is being delivered through the province’s Audit and Accountability Fund and will support initiatives that focus on increasing digital services, modernization, streamlining and service integration.

“COVID-19 has highlighted the need for municipalities to be as efficient and nimble as possible, while ensuring services remain financially sustainable today and in the future,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Our municipal partners are on the front lines serving their residents, and we are committed to helping them improve how they operate and deliver services, to ensure taxpayers get good value for money.”

Thirty-one large municipalities were approved for projects that will help them find savings in time for the 2022 municipal budget cycle. Examples include a transformation initiative in Ottawa that will examine how to streamline internal processes and a digital strategy in Thunder Bay to help the city deliver more cost-effective services.

“Under the previous rounds of the Audit and Accountability Fund, municipalities identified almost $130 million in potential local savings,” said Minister Clark. “By increasing our investment we will continue to support municipalities as they look for more innovative and creative ways to operate and deliver sustainable local services.”

Ontario also recently announced over $40 million under the Municipal Modernization Program to help small and rural municipalities improve the delivery of their critical local programs and services during COVID-19.