According to the Metamorphosis Network Study (January 2026), Peel Region continues to face chronic and persistent inequities in community and social service funding when compared to other Ontario municipalities. The study documents how long-standing underinvestment by provincial and federal governments have placed disproportionate pressure on local systems supporting residents experiencing homelessness, mental health and addictions challenges, food insecurity, and community safety concerns.
Councillor Rowena Santos underscored the significance of the study’s findings and their real-world consequences for residents:
“This study highlights what Peel residents have felt for decades: our communities continue to pay the price for inequitable funding decisions made by other orders of government. When supports fall short, the impacts show up locally in homelessness, mental health and addictions, community safety, and food insecurity. Municipalities are left reacting to challenges outside our jurisdiction and should be funded by other orders of government. This social and financial cost is downloaded to residents through higher property taxes. Peel deserves the same level of support provided to other municipalities, including those serving far smaller populations. While some progress has been made, we are still left chasing our tails with significant catching up to do, and it’s time Peel receives our fair share.”
– Rowena Santos, Regional Councillor Wards 1 & 5, Chair, Community Services
The Metamorphosis Network Study makes clear that these funding gaps do not disappear they are effectively downloaded to municipalities. Local governments are forced to stretch limited resources to respond to systemic issues without the fiscal tools or jurisdiction to address root causes sustainably.
Important charts from Report
The study further emphasizes that Peel is not seeking preferential treatment, but equitable treatment. Despite being one of the fastest-growing and most diverse regions in the province, Peel continues to receive lower per-capita investment in community and social services. While recent efforts are starting to acknowledge this imbalance, the study concludes that current funding levels remain insufficient and misaligned with community needs.
Overall, the Metamorphosis Network Study calls for a shift away from reactive, municipally absorbed costs toward fair, population-based, and needs-driven funding models that reflect the realities facing Peel residents today.
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