No major COVID bailout for cash-strapped Toronto in Ontario budget
No major COVID bailout for cash-strapped Toronto in Ontario budget
Toronto has been left in the lurch by Queen’s Park after the 2023 Ontario budget revealed little in the way of a financial rescue for the cash-strapped city.
Ontario’s biggest municipality had called on the province to help supplement its massive 2023 shortfall, asking for $510 million in so-called COVID-19 hangover costs.
But the government did not relieve the city’s current pandemic pressure, indicating instead that it was waiting to see how Ottawa responds to a similar request from Toronto at the federal budget unveiling next week.
It did provide $48 million in funding for Toronto’s supportive housing costs, fulfilling one of the three asks Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie made of Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy in a letter sent earlier this month.
The city’s 2023 budget, however, will still have a nearly $1 billion shortfall without additional funding from Queen’s Park and Ottawa.
“Toronto’s number one ask was more money, $48 million, for supportive housing to help those who are homeless and we stepped up with the full ask, “ Bethlenfalvy insisted during an interview with CP24 on Thursday. “That was their number one ask.”
Toronto officials were also hoping that the province would cover the cost of the development charges the city would no longer receive as a result of Bill 23, which slashed the fees in order to spur the construction of more housing.
City staff had counted on that revenue to fund the infrastructure and services needed to support the growth, and pegged the loss at more than $200 million a year.
The government reiterated Thursday that it would be conducting an audit of select municipalities to establish a baseline of municipal reserves and development charges, and would determine after that how it would supplement any shortfalls connected to Bill 23.
Bethlenfalvy also told CP24 that discussions would continue about funding to offset lost revenue as a result of the pandemic.
In a statement following the release of the budget, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie thanked the province for helping to fund wrap-around services for 2,000 vulnerable residents in supportive homes, noting that these kinds of supports “are the most effective, dignified, and cost-effective solution to chronic homelessness.”
McKelvie did not address the lack of funding for COVID-19 costs in her statement, only stating that her advocacy for “further financial support” would continue.
She also said that the city “expects the province to honour its commitment to keep the City whole when it comes to development charges.”
Some critics, however, are warning that the lack of investment in Toronto could force the city to make some difficult decisions.
“Transit fares could go up, property taxes could go up even higher than they’ve already been raised,” Liberal municipal affairs critic Stephen Blais told CTV News. “You’re going to see potentially a decrease in services if the city can’t cover those costs.”
“Because the Conservatives are not stepping up, Torontonians are going to be seeing a big property tax hike and service cuts,” NDP housing critic Jessica Bell said.
“Conservatives have turned their back on municipalities.”
Fires across the country are burning millions of hectares of land but what does that really look like? CTVNews.ca compared the blazes to some cities and lakes in the country showing just how big they have gotten.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents, according to an indictment unsealed Friday that alleges that he described a Pentagon 'plan of attack' and shared a classified map related to a military operation.
Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson shocked Britain on Friday by quitting as a lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament.
Despite the alarming facts and figures, experts say Canada is far more reactive than it is proactive when it comes to wildfires and they’re calling for a national campaign on wildfire education to better prepare for the future.
Showers are predicted Saturday over the aggressive wildfire threatening Tumbler Ridge, but forecasters say thunderstorms could sweep through the parched region without bringing any rain.
Air Canada says it made a mistake in rejecting some compensation claims from the thousands of travellers affected by delayed flights due to computer malfunctions.
Montreal police (SPVM) stats for 2022 show that crime went up dramatically in 2022 and, taking COVID-19 pandemic numbers into account, violent crimes have been on the rise overall since 2017. In addition, motor vehicle thefts skyrocketed, having more than doubled since pre pandemic years.
A chain of illegal magic mushroom dispensaries in Ontario is determined to open a location in Montreal this summer despite the threat of a crackdown by Mayor Valerie Plante.
Police have shut down a section of Highway 401 westbound between Woodstock and Cambridge after a crash involving a transport truck and an Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) vehicle.
A tenant displaced in the downtown Sudbury fire last month said her hotel is denying her request to move her room to a centralized location following an attempted break-in.
Hundreds of counter-protesters gathered near three schools in Ottawa's west end on Friday to take a stand against a B.C. man who is protesting what he calls "gender ideology."
The Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in Ottawa's west end will be renamed Kichi Zībī Mīkan, if approved by the National Capital Commission's board of directors.
Provincial police with the Bracebridge detachment say a 15-year-old boy, 12-year-old girl, and seven-year-old girl who were reported missing have been found safe.
Nova Scotia says it has identified more details about the records stolen in a file transfer service cyber attack, impacting teachers, students and health care workers' records.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith named her new cabinet Friday, about two weeks after her United Conservative Party took the majority of seats in Alberta.
Winnipeg police say a woman is in hospital with severe injuries after she was allegedly stabbed by a man in what police describe as a completely random and unprovoked attack.
Weekly wastewater surveillance data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control suggests COVID-19 transmission has continued declining in the Lower Mainland this month, a week after the centre reported its lowest hospitalization total in nearly two years.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith named her new cabinet Friday, about two weeks after her United Conservative Party took the majority of seats in Alberta.
