Zac Spicer, associate professor in the School of Public Policy & Administration, was quoted in a CBC article about the township of Fauquier-Strickland in Ontario which has a $2.5 million operating deficit, and as a result will discontinue any municipal services as of August 1. The township claimed that the deficit was caused by expenses depleting the town’s funds, for example, the installation of a new water filtration system that went over budget. Spicer says that this is the first municipality to go bankrupt in Ontario since the Great Depression and that many were amalgamated in the early 2000s for financial reasons. He says the province of Ontario should support the township financially, and that discussions of amalgamation with other small townships in the area are likely to happen.
Zac Spicer holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario. His research interests include politics and government, public administration, local government, smart cities, data governance and innovation policy.
Read the full article in CBC News.