neomaThere’s a bit of unrest in the Northeast region after a new funding model for the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board was introduced.

The new model would switch the weighted assessment method to a per-capita method based on the latest Census data.

While Timmins would save around $700,000 (which they say will go towards enhanced EMS services throughout the region), other Mayors aren’t so keen on the proposed change.

Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis says this model “flies in the face of how taxation is done in Ontario.”

“The same reason the City of Timmins can’t go and collect taxes on a per-capita basis is the same reason we’re arguing you can’t pay for social services, which is basically done through taxation.”

Just for clarity, under the new model, Cochrane would pay around $118,000 more, while Hearst would have to pay just under $276,000 more.  Kapuskasing would fork out an additional $601,000.

Five towns along with Timmins would save money.  Matheson, for example, would save about $188,000.

(CLICK HERE to see the proposal from Timmins city council February 1st, including the differences between the current and proposed model.)

“We’re definitely concerned about where this is going,” Politis says, “And ultimately, the bigger picture is the impact on our relationships we have around the region.”

He argues 30% of the business done in Timmins is from the rest of the region, as well as some services.

Politis says that raises the wealth in Timmins, and lowers it in the rest of the area and that’s why the weighted assessment is the way it is.

This has been an issue that’s been prevalent around social media circles, but Politis says this is something that should be discussed among the regional leaders so they can come up with a solution.