Friends,
This morning, Mayor Chow released her proposed 2024 City budget which will be reviewed by City Council on February 14, 2024.
This budget protects key services that are important to the people of Toronto. It makes critical investments in housing, transit, and safety.
The budget will require a property tax increase of 9.5%.
Relief programs are available for low-income seniors and those living with a disability. More information on those programs are available here.
To ensure tenants are protected, the multi-residential tax rate increase will be 3.5%, which is below the threshold that allows landlords to apply for above-guideline rent increases.
One highlight of the Mayor's Budget is the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program. MURA, a City-wide program which began as a pilot here in Ward 4, will receive an additional $100 million dollars over three years, to support community non-profits, Indigenous housing providers, land trusts and co-operatives in acquiring units from the market and keeping them affordable.
The MURA program will be funded in partnership with the federal and provincial governments along with revenue from the Vacant Homes Tax.
The proposed budget which puts the needs of Torontonians front and centre is a result of our community's advocacy and hard work.
As a result of years of austerity measures, conservative mayors, and lack of political will to make difficult decisions, vital City services have suffered deep cuts and decline. This budget is evidence that the Mayor is focused on getting our City back on track. I look forward to the February 14 Council meeting to vote on this budget.
The meeting agenda will be available here and the meeting will be streamed live on the City's youtube page.
Sincerely,
Gord
- Vacant Homes Tax Assistance Drop-ins
- Toronto Public Health Strategic Plan Consultations
- City's Summer Camp list online
Vacant Home Tax assistance available at drop-in sessions
All residential property owners in Toronto must submit a declaration of their property’s occupancy status every year – even if they reside there.
Property owners who would like help submitting their declaration of occupancy status can visit a drop-in session on select dates in February.
All sessions take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. near the Inquiry & Payment counters at the following locations:
· Toronto City Hall – February 5, 7, 28 & 29
· Scarborough Civic Centre – February 5, 7, 28 & 29
· Etobicoke Civic Centre – February 6, 8, 28 & 29
· North York Civic Centre – February 6, 8, 28 & 29
· York Civic Centre – February 5, 7, 26 & 27
· East York Civic Centre – February 6, 8, 26 & 27
The deadline to declare occupancy status for the 2023 calendar year is February 29, 2024. More information is available on the City’s Vacant Home Tax webpage.
Toronto Board of Health begins public consultations for Toronto Public Health’s new Strategic Plan
Starting on Monday, February 5, the Toronto Board of Health (BOH) is inviting Toronto residents to participate in public consultations to help develop a new Strategic Plan to guide Toronto Public Health’s (TPH) work for the next four years.
The Strategic Plan will guide key TPH priorities as it maintains and improves the population’s health, reduces inequities and prepares for and responds to health emergencies affecting Toronto’s diverse population.
Torontonians can participate in the consultation process by:
- Attending in-person sessions on February 5 at City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. The BOH Strategic Plan Development Committee is meeting in Committee Room 1 at 9:30 a.m. Residents are asked to register to speak by emailing [email protected] or calling 416-397-4592.
- Attending a drop-in public consultation session held in Committee Room 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on February 5.
- Completing the Strategic Plan survey from February 5 to March 17 located on the City’s website: www.toronto.ca/tphstrategicplan.
Residents who are unable to attend the in-person session or take the survey can send their feedback to [email protected] from February 5 to March 17.
More information on the TPH’s Strategic Plan and the planning process is available at: www.toronto.ca/tphstrategicplan.
CampTO is back: Full list of programs now available online
With more than 30 types of camp programs at more than 140 locations, residents can now better prepare for next month’s city-wide registration by viewing the City of Toronto’s summer CampTO program list online.
From traditional day camp experiences to sports, arts as well as indoor/outdoor and nature-based activities, the City is once again offering a wide variety of programs this summer for children and youth between the ages of four and 16.
Registration for CampTO opens at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, February 7. The fastest and easiest way to register for CampTO is online. Residents can find program and registration information at toronto.ca/campTO.
Registration online or in-person
Five community centre locations will be open on February 7, from 7 a.m. to 12 noon:
- Centennial Recreation Centre, 1967 Ellesmere Rd.
- Dennis R. Timbrell Resource Centre, 29 St. Dennis Dr.
- Driftwood Community Centre, 4401 Jane St.
- Masaryk Cowan Community Centre, 220 Cowan Ave.
- Wellesley Community Centre, 495 Sherbourne St.
Residents who need help preparing for registration can call 416-396-7378, Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The call centre will be open for extended hours on Tuesday, February 6, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on registration day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents will need their family and client numbers to sign up for CampTO programs and are encouraged to have this information ready before registration day. Residents can set up a new account or retrieve their existing client or family numbers by phone or online.
