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12 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 2, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Checking the books for the new year By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF O akville residents -- by virtue of living in the GTA/905 -- get less provincial cash per person for social services and health care. That's according to the third annual report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Strong Communities Coalition. The United Way of Oakville (UWO) belongs to the coalition -- along with the United Ways in Durham, Peel and York and the Growing Communities Healthcare Alliance. Officially, the report is called Assessing the Gap in Provincial Health Care Funding between Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN)s with HighGrowth Populations and the Rest of Ontario and the Gap in Provincial Funding for Social Services in the GTA/905 and the Rest of Ontario: A 2008 Update. Its message was that four million Ontarians in highgrowth communities, primarily those in the GTA/905, continue to receive less provincial funding for local hospital services, community-based health care and social services. On the social services front, the report stated that in 2006/07, social services in the GTA/905 received $193 less per resident compared to the rest of Ontario. Though it represented a slight improvement over previous years, that was primarily due to a reduction in overall funding across Ontario for social services, particularly child care, on a per-resident basis. To bring the GTA/905 in line would mean doubling provincial investment. The report also found hospital services in high growth communities like the GTA/905, receive $255 less per resident and that community-based and long-term care services received $84 less per resident. The report shows the hospital funding gap widened by $44 million in the last year and increased by $3.69 million for community-based and longterm care services. As the economy flounders, the coalition is urging the Province to fix it with a trio of recommendations, including: · establishing an Ontario Health and Social Services Growth Task Force to complement Places to Grow and advise the premier on how to "We agree it is an issue, but compared to the previous government, we've done a pretty good job at starting to close that gap and it's our intent to continue to do that." Kevin Flynn, Oakville MPP Ann Mulvale, UWO support growth areas. · to change the funding formula from per capita (based on income) to population-needs. · to deliver on a promised $100 million in hospital growth funding -- and provide similar funding for social services, community-based health care and long-term care. UWO CEO Barbara Burton said the coalition was formed because a "strong voice" for health care and social services was needed as their bailiwicks overlap in many instances. "People end up in the health care system if we aren't able to intervene," said Burton. While the gap in provincial Barbara Burton, UWO CEO social services funding has shrunk in the past year, it's still "huge" -- almost $642 million -- according to Burton. The situation could be more equitable if the province changed its funding formula from per capita to population needs, says the coalition. "Obviously we are very fortunate in this community because we live well and we do have individuals with high incomes," said Burton. At the same time however, there is still need in town. It's a tough task communicating the presence of poverty, homelessness and substance abuse in what is perceived as an affluent community, and it's tough to lament funding inequity when it's based on a per capita formula. "Oakville would have a huge advantage, with all the growth Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn that is occurring, if funding was based on population needs," said Burton. So, what does the Province have to say about the situation? "We agree it is an issue, but compared to the previous government, we've done a pretty good job at starting to close that gap and it's our intent to continue to do that," said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. See Preparing page 14 DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER WAY TO GO: Trophies were handed out to recognize the top efforts of businesses in the Winston Park Challenge, a fun-filled day of competitive activities in which local companies raised awareness and funds for the United Way of Oakville. Here, the Mattamy team, which was named overall winner, with the trophy presented by Mulvale and the UWO -- from left, Phil Sheridan,Tim Warner, Jill Ingram, Mulvale, Jessica Junker, Steve Mattachini and Margaret Emerson (standing in for Bronwyn Anderson).