A motion that says Halton will suspend water and sewer allocations for new homes until council has approved an acceptable financial plan was passed unanimously by regional council at its meeting Wednesday.

The resolution states that the plan — which calls for hefty funds from local developers and upper levels of government for infrastructure — can’t result in tax increases beyond those currently forecasted and can’t compromise the Region’s financial position.

Region staff has indicated if the financing plan is developed and approved by council early in 2009, allocations would proceed as they should. If not, there would be delays.

The motion attributes many of the region’s financial and infrastructure woes to the Province, including capacity problems at the hospitals and the “very minimal relief for Halton taxpayers” that’ll be provided as the Province takes back responsibility for welfare and court security costs over the next decade.

While council didn’t discuss or debate the issue, Regional Chair Gary Carr told the Champion after the meeting that the motion alerts the Province to the Region’s concerns and challenges.

“We don’t want a fight with the Province — we’re looking for solutions. We want to say, ‘Here’s our challenges; what do you suggest we do?’” he said. “They need to know where our pressure points are, and I hope this resolution does the job.”

Carr will soon meet with Minister of Energy and Infrastructure George Smitherman to present the motion and discuss the need for more provincial dollars to flow into Halton.

The chairman and the Region have long been pushing the Province for more money through the Fairness for Halton campaign, which says the region can’t accommodate the thousands of residents called for in the Province’s Places to Grow plan without some hefty funding help for infrastructure.

While Smitherman has called Carr’s plea for fairness “grandstanding,” Carr said he thinks the motion unanimously supported by council will let the minister know it’s not just him who thinks the Province needs to do more.

“I can say, ‘I’m not grandstanding — there’s an entire council that feels this way,’” he said.

Carr said the resolution also reaffirms the Region’s Official Plan, which requires a financial plan for growth-related infrastructure before development can proceed.

The financial plan took a step forward at Wednesday’s meeting when council approved the plan’s framework, subject to the approval of the 2009 regional budget.

The framework report calls for developers to pay almost $2.1 billion of the $2.5 billion needed for necessary water, sewer and roads projects over the next 14 years.

This means about $250 million would come from the Region’s coffers, and another $78 million is expected in subsidies from the upper levels of government to help pay for costs at the Skyway Wastewater Treatment Plant in Burlington.

The document also proposes how future water and sewer allocations should be made for development in Oakville and Milton. It includes 21,766 single-detached equivalent (SDE) units for Milton and 17,829 SDEs for Oakville that’ll be released in stages based on infrastructure timing.

Some members of council expressed concerns with how the plan could be affected by the looming economic downturn. The sentiment was echoed in a letter Mattamy Homes submitted to the Region that essentially asks for an alternative plan to be created should the economy crunch affect local home building.

Council went on to pass a motion that says if interest in the water and sewer allocations isn’t sufficient, staff will develop a revised plan to reflect the slower rate of development.

Region staff will soon negotiate financial agreements with local developers and then present a final financial and implementation plan for council consideration early next year.

Melanie Hennessey can be reached at mhennessey@miltoncanadianchampion.com .