A Circle of City Builders

Advocating for a Better

November 1, 2016

What's Inside Why we're here Cover Page 1 Table of Contents 2 Agenda and Greeting from Councillor Mihevc 3 City Builder Bios 4-14 Setting the stage City Manager's presentation at IMFG 15-22 2016 Preliminary Operating Budget and 2016-2025 23-27 Capital Budget and Plan, Presentation to Budget Committee (selected slides) KPMG Revenue Options Report Executive Summary 28-31 List of approved, unfunded capital costs 32 List of revenue tools and potential revenue generation 33 Political decision timeline 34 Actions Democracy in Action: What Can We Do? 35 Join the Movement (note page 1) 36 Sample Actions  Op-ed from John Cartwright and Maureen 37-38 O'Reilly  Position statement from Sean Meagher and 39 Sheila Block  Deputation from Women's Habitat 40-42  Deputation from FONTRA 43-44 Tools Form Your Strategy (note page 2) 45 Build Capacity (note page 3) 46 Media Contacts 47 Sample community activity 48 Tips on City Council Advocacy 49-56 (From Commitment to Community)

November 1, 2016

Dear City Builders,

As you know, Council has some important decisions ahead regarding Toronto's finances. In the coming weeks, the choices we make will decide the course of the city for the next decade and beyond. We can use all the help we can get.

I have reached out to you and to others across diverse sectors and asked you to gather here today so that together we can provide the political willpower to Council Members to take the right steps toward building a better city. Let's help make Toronto the Good into Toronto the Great.

Sincerely,

Councillor Ward 21, St. Paul's West

WiFi Agenda

The conference room has been set up 8:15 Sign-in, coffee and mingling with internet access.

8:45 Introduction and presentation by Network: UofT Councillor Mihevc Username: qq165432

Password: vaiS6eujei 9:00 Structured, open dialogue with Alternatively, use your UTORid to connect participants (if applicable). 10:15 Next steps and wrap-up

City Builder Bios

Social Services, Charitable Foundations and Philanthropists

Sharon Avery President and CEO, Toronto Foundation

Sharon has recently taken on the role of President and CEO for the Toronto Foundation, which is a leading independent charitable foundation that connects philanthropy to community needs and opportunities. The Toronto Foundation’s city building initiatives include producing an annual “Vital Signs” report, convening Toronto Dialogues, and managing the Vital Toronto Fund. Previously, Sharon spent eight years as Chief Development Officer at UNICEF Canada. She has built a 19-year career as a high energy fundraiser and passionate communicator.

Crystal Basi Executive Director, Toronto Aboriginal Support Services

Crystal has more than 10 years of experience in the non-profit sector that she uses in her role as Executive Director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services. TASSC is a not-for-profit policy and research organization that addresses social determinants to improve and enhance the social, economic and cultural base of Aboriginal people in Toronto. In this capacity she oversees the implementation of community-based research, policy development, and community capacity building to strengthen and shape vibrant communities. Basi is committed to cultivating strong local networks, business acumen, and a dedication to engagement and impact analysis.

Kristi Battista Manager, Cities Reducing Poverty, Tamarack Institute

Kristi is the Manager of Cities Reducing Poverty at Tamarack. The Tamarack Institute works to equip communities and citizens with the resources they need to realize lasting change in their communities, with an overall focus on improving quality of life for all. Prior to taking on this role she was a Community Animator for the Tamarack CCI learning community and the coordinator of Tamarack's multi-day learning events such as Champions for Change, Evaluating Community Impact and the first ever Collective Impact Summit.

Adriana Beemans Director, Local Inclusive Economies, The Metcalf Foundation

Adriana brings extensive experience in community development, capacity building, and program innovation in her role as Director of Local Inclusive Economies at the Metcalf Foundation. Metcalf works to create meaningful social change by leveraging opportunities and approaches to improve shared benefits in the performing arts and low-income livelihoods in a way that ensures a low-carbon, resilient future. Before joining Metcalf, Adriana was the Director of Programs & Services at Working Women Community Centre, where she oversaw community engagement and settlement programming. She has also work in social investment, at Toronto Community Housing, as well as internationally with UN-Habitat in Afghanistan and the Aga Khan Development Network in Pakistan. Alejandra Bravo Director Leadership and Training, Broadbent Institute

Alejandra comes to Broadbent Institute from the Maytree Foundation as Manager of Leadership & Learning, where she designed and delivered training for emerging leaders to participate actively in civic and political life. Alejandra is a member of the Toronto District School Board’s Inner City Advisory Committee and an Advisor to Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-.

Alan Broadbent Chairman and CEO, Avana Capital Corporation; Founder, Maytree Foundation

The Maytree Foundation focuses on poverty issues in Canada, with a special interest in refugees and immigrants. Maytree is the initiator of programs that facilitate immigrant success in the labour market. Alan has also co-founded a number of organizations that create and support civic engagement projects to strengthen the public discourse on civil society, including: the Jane Jacobs Prize, which celebrates “unsung heroes” in the Toronto Region; the Institute for Municipal Finance and Governance at the Munk Centre at the , and Ideas That Matter, a public discourse initiative. Alan is a Member of the Order of Canada and recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.

Colette Murphy Executive Director, The Atkinson Foundation

Best known as an organizational capacity builder at United Way Toronto and a champion for inclusive local economies at the Metcalf Foundation, Murphy is currently the Executive Director of the Atkinson Foundation. With more than 70 years under its belt, the Atkinson Foundation focuses on strengthening movements for decent work, shared prosperity and democratic renewal. They achieve this through their investment in people, organizations and projects to leverage community assets.

Kevin Vuong Acting President of the Native Canadian Centre, DiverseCity Fellow

Kevin wears many hats as a city builder and military officer working to build a stronger, more resilient and prosperous Canada where no one is left behind. Named one of Ashoka's 100 Global Emerging Innovators, Canada's Top 30 Under 30, Kevin is Lead of Community and Strategic Partnerships at Ryerson University’s Magnet Project. Kevin also serves as Co-Chair of the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy, Acting President of the Board of Directors for the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, and was a CivicAction DiverseCity Fellow.

Michael Polanyi Community Worker, Children's Aid Society of the Greater Toronto Area

Michael is as a Community Development Worker at the Children's Aid Society of Toronto. He conducts research on poverty-related issues, and works to support community action to reduce poverty among families living in Toronto. He is a member of the City's Poverty Reduction Advisory Group and is a co-author of the 2014 report "The Hidden Epidemic: A Report on Child and Family Poverty in Toronto". Michael is also an active organizer and member of the Commitment 2 Community Coalition.

Susan Kwong Community Planner, Social Planning Toronto

Currently working with the "Commitment to Community Campaign", Susan has over 10 years of experience working in community development, capacity building and political organizing. She has spearheaded and coordinated a range of advocacy and policy reform campaigns on a national and local level.

Check out: Building Toronto, Creating Community – The City of Toronto's Investment in Nonprofit Community Services

Labour

Ken Greenberg Principal, Greenberg Consultants

Ken is a former Director of Urban Design and Architecture for the City of Toronto, and Principal Consultant at Greenberg Consultants. As a world leader in urban design, he has worked in cities throughout North America and Europe. His strategic, consensus-building approach has led to coordinated planning and a renewed focus on urban design. Ken is a Board Member of Park People, a teacher at the University of Toronto, and co- founder of the City Building Institute at Ryerson. Currently. He is also the urban design lead and client representative for The Bentway Project.

Mohammed Hashim Organizer, The York Region Labour Council

As an organizer for the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Mohammed is an activist, mentor and innovator helping marginalized communities in the GTA build their capacity for effective participation and advocacy in Canadian politics. As Board President at the Erin Mills Youth Centre, he has helped bring meaningful recreational space to racialized youth. He has also worked with the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs, and as Project Manager for DawaNet's Project Civic Engagement.

Tim Maguire President, CUPE Local 79

Tim Maguire is President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 79, which represents workers at the City of Toronto, Bridgepoint Hospital, and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). He was first elected President in 2011 after serving as First Vice-President, Chief Steward, Unit Officer, and lead negotiator for several of CUPE Local 79’s Bargaining Units. Under Maguire’s leadership, CUPE Local 79 has helped foster positive relationships with employers outside the traditional labour/management relationship. CUPE Local 79 been a strong voice urging the City and other levels of government to address Toronto’s growing crisis of inequality.

Developers, Planners and Architects

J. Michael Kirkland Principal, The Kirkland Partnership Architects (TKP) Michael is a founding partner of TKP and has received accolades throughout his career in architecture. TKP embraces the challenge of reconciling the demands of modern buildings with emerging cities and their historical structures. With its expertise in Architecture, Urban Design and Planning, he firm has attained an international reputation of excellence in the design and development of a wide variety of project types. TKP has provided designs for significant public and private structures in Toronto, including Square, Lower Yonge Street, and a new Cherry Street complex currently under development.

Paul Bedford Former Chief City Planner Paul is a Member and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Planners, with 45 years of experience in urban planning. As Toronto’s Chief City Planner for eight years, he championed numerous innovative planning strategies with Jane Jacobs for the King-Spadina and King-Parliament districts, a new City wide Official Plan, and a principles plan for the Central Waterfront called “Making Waves.” He served two terms on the Metrolinx Board of Directors, and in September 2013 he was appointed Vice Chair of the Ontario Transit Investment Strategy Advisory Panel. He is passionate about Toronto and is actively involved in the life of the city.

Richard Joy Executive Director, Toronto District Council, Urban Land Institute (ULI) Richard brings public policy experience to his role at ULI, a globally recognized, non-profit research and education organization. ULI’s over 32,000 members worldwide represent the spectrum of real estate development and land use disciplines. In a previous role, Richard was the lead advisor to the Minister of Municipal Affairs on the City of Toronto Act (2006). He has also served as Vice President, Policy and Government Relations for the Toronto Region Board of Trade.

Arts and Culture

Brad Lepp Director of Communications, Soulpepper Theatre

As Director of Communications for Soulpepper, Brad represents one of Canada's largest urban theatres. Soulpepper is an artist-centred company that celebrates the stories that move us and the artists who tell them. Brad contributes to strategic planning and organizational growth of the organization, while overseeing the organization's marketing & branding, ticket sales, media outreach, corporate communications, and government relations. As chair of TAPA's Advocacy Committee he has convened the Friends of the Arts network, which built consensus among a ‘big tent’ of cultural organizations, allowing the sector to have a unified voice regarding municipal funding increases.

LoriAnn Girvan Chief Operating Officer, Artscape

LoriAnn brings more than 25 years of experience to her role of Chief Operating Officer at Artscape. Adept at bridging cross-sectoral collaboration and community-powered planning to achieve healthy places and initiatives that include pioneering housing, spaces and programs for diverse residents, including homeless households. LoriAnn is well versed in various business operations including market analysis, site acquisition, financing, sustainability planning, and joint venture development – acting as an entrepreneurial leader in urban revitalization, affordable housing, non-profit management and community planning in Canada, the United States and Africa.

Susan Wright Deputy Director, Toronto Arts Council (TAC) As Deputy Director, Susan works closely with the Director on policy and planning as well as advocating for support for artists and arts organizations with City Council. She also sits on a number of external committees and spent five years as General Manager of Toronto Artscape. TAC is an active advocate for arts funding in the city, and provides the resources and knowledge for smaller arts organizations to self-advocate, particularly during each year’s budget discussions.

Check out: TAC’s “Toronto Arts Facts” www.torontoartscouncil.org/Advocate/The-Case-for-the-Arts

Faith Communities

Christopher White Minister, Fairlawn Avenue United Church

Christopher is the Senior Minister and Team Leader at Fairlawn. White is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Community Service, which recognizes those who have made significant contributions to their communities. He has been instrumental in the formation of Faith in the City, an initiative of religious leaders, clergy and lay-people from several faith traditions who, along with concerned members of , interested in improving the lives of their neighbours. Christopher is also the editor of the Question Box column in the United Church Observer and has taught the Shaw Transformational Leadership program at Queen’s University. In his spare time he also comments and writes for the CBC radio, , and other newspapers and magazines.

Joe Abbey-Colborne Director, Faith in the City

Joe is an experienced church pastor whose work has focused on socially marginalized and street-involved communities in Toronto. He has led Faith in the City, an interfaith conference focusing on actions for social change, through three annual events. Joe’s interfaith and social justice work draws on his background working in the arts and social services. He has been a tireless advocate for anti-poverty initiatives at the City of Toronto.

Business Karen Greve Young Vice President of Partnerships, MaRS

As Director of Strategic Initiatives, Karen ensures MaRS achieves its mission to drive economic and social prosperity in partnership with fellow innovator through facilitating and managing relationships with community, government and corporate partners. Previously, she held management and strategy consulting roles in organizations in San Francisco, New York and London, UK, including Bain & Company, Gap Inc. and the UK’s Institute of Cancer Research. Karen also has a personal passion for improving cancer and other health and well-being outcomes, and is committed to is committed to realizing innovative solutions to drive economic and social prosperity in Toronto and globally.

Richard Peddie CEO, Maple Leaf Sports

Richard serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Air Canada Centre, and is Chief Executive Officer of Major League Soccer and LLC. In his ninth year at MLSE, he was one of the driving forces behind the success of Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and the Air Canada Centre. As a business and marketing powerhouse in Toronto, who is credited with spearheading the creation of MLSE's two television stations, has received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Windsor; where he also teaches a Strategic Leadership course in their Bachelor of Commerce Program.

Food Access

Mike Balkwill Provincial Organizer, Put Food in the Budget Campaign

Mike is best known as a provincial organizer With Put Food IN THE Budget. Beginning in January 2009, the Put Food in the Budget Campaign emerged as a response to Premier McGuinty's decision to exclude an increase in social assistance rates for adults in Ontario from his poverty reduction strategy. Since then Mike along with a broader coalition of organizers across labour, health, union and food security lines have successfully rallied around this issue raising awareness and increased accountability on food security in Toronto and Ontario more broadly.

Rachel Gray Executive Director, The Stop Community Food Centre

Rachel Gray is the Executive Director of The Stop, a non-profit food organization that improves access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds health and community, and challenges inequality through a variety of programs and initiatives. Prior to joining The Stop in 2012, she served as Director of Eva’s Initiative's National Program, and has also worked as a special assistant to Ontario’s Minister of Health. As a vocal advocate for food security and poverty reduction in Toronto, she has been part of a number of key stakeholder tables and initiatives aiming to increase awareness and support for poverty.

Check out: We Need a New Approach to Funding Poverty Reduction; Food Insecurity Is the Predictable Result of Poverty; Food Security and the Working Poor

Rhonda Barron Policy and Advocacy Manager, Community Food Centres Canada

As Policy and Advocacy Manager Rhonda ensures that advocacy underlines the work of Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC). With the goal of optimizing health, the CFCC model believes we must put the needs and experiences of people at the centre of how services are organized and delivered. This includes services beyond traditional health care and extends to the social determinants of health, including access to good food, dignity, and social inclusion.

Environment

Franz Hartmann Executive Director, Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA)

Franz has been advocating for a green Toronto since 1990 when he first volunteered at TEA. Franz has been involved in advocating for green energy, and solutions for smog, waste management and a green economy at both the municipal and federal levels. Franz has helped author the City of Toronto's first-ever Environmental Plan, and has helped develop a Kyoto Implementation Strategy for Canada. With a PhD in Environmental Politics, he has acted as Environmental Advisor to during his time at City Council.

Gideon Forman Transport Policy Analyst, The David Suzuki Foundation.

As a Transport and Policy Analyst and former Executive Director for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Gideon often connects issues of climate change (the environment), transit and health and wellbeing. He has played a leadership role in the campaigns to ban lawn pesticides and phase-out coal-fired power across Ontario and has been a vocal advocate for improved bike and transit infrastructure in Toronto. Currently, Gideon is working on initiatives to strengthen Ontario’s carbon pricing system.

Checkout: Why Toronto Should Introduce a Commercial Parking Levy; and New Revenue Tools Could Make Toronto Safer, Healthier

Jake Tobin Garrett Manager Policy and Research, Park People

Jake is Park People’s lead on research, policy, and planning work around urban parks. He is the author of the paper Making Connections: Planning Parks and Open Space Networks in Urban Neighbourhoods, which examines public space strategies for intensifying cities. Jake is also a freelance and staff writer, publishing works in Ground Magazine, Torontoist, NRU Publishing, and Spacing Magazine, and has appeared on CBC’s Here and Now and Metro Morning.

Katrina Miller Former Toronto Environmental Alliance Board Member, CUPE 79 Member

Katrina is a former Board Member of the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA). With more than 50,000 supporters TEA works with concerned individuals, community groups, professionals and workers, encouraging the participation of local people on local issues to address environmental issues in our city. Miller is also an active CUPE Member, known for her avid passion for environmental and labour issues.

Transportation

Jared Kolb Executive Director, Cycle Toronto

As Executive Director of Cycle Toronto, Jared embraces cycling as an essential part of its sustainable transportation network and advocates for a Complete Streets a safer, healthier more liveable Toronto. healthy, safe and livable, and the city is recognized as a leading urban Prior to joining Cycle Toronto, Jared worked for 8-80 Cities and helped to establish the College of Sustainability at Dalhousie University.

Jessica Bell Executive Director, TTC Riders

Jessica is a founding member of TTC Riders, a grassroots, membership- based advocacy group of TTC users, who advocates for an affordable world-class public transit system for Toronto. She is an instructor in Advocacy and Government Relations at Ryerson University.

Academics and Think Tanks

Cherise Burda Executive Director, City Building Institute at Ryerson University

As director of the Ryerson City Building Institute, Cherise brings together research, policy analysis and leaders from diverse backgrounds to address today’s critical urban challenges. Formerly Pembina Institute’s Ontario Director, she led research, advocacy and communications strategies for transportation, sustainable cities and clean energy solutions in Ontario. In addition to authoring dozens of publications on these issues, Burda has also held a position on the Premiers’ Transit Investment Strategy Advisory panel, and has been recognized as a Clean 50 honouree.

Check out: “Re-Tooling” Development Charges Into A Sharp, Effective Revenue Tool

David Hulchanski Professor, Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto; Dr. Chow Yei Ching Chair in Housing

David is a Professor of Housing and Community Development and holds the Faculty’s endowed Chair in Housing, the Dr. Chow Yei Ching Chair in Housing. He has served as the Director of the Centre for Urban and Community Studies from 2000 to 2008, and was the Director of the UBC Centre for Human Settlements. David’s research and teaching is focused on housing need, homelessness, neighbourhoods, community development, and social and economic rights. He teaches courses on housing, homelessness, community development. In addition to being regularly interviewed and quoted in articles on these issues, he is known for publishing a ground-breaking report called: The Three Cities In Toronto: Income Polarization among Toronto’s Neighbourhoods, as well as being Principle Investigator of a new 7-year project looking at neighbourhood change.

Laura Hache Chief of Staff to the CEO, CivicAction

As Chief of Staff to the CEO & Office Manager to support programs and initiatives, Laura helps to ensure CivicAction is effectively bringing together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle challenges facing the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Check out: Our Region, Our Move: Accelerating investment in our regional transportation network

Myer Siemiatycki Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University

Myer was the founding Director (2004-2008) of the Interdisciplinary MA program in Immigration and Settlement Studies. In 2012, he was appointed as the first Jack Layton Chair, established to honour the former Councillor and MP's commitment to social, environmental and urban issues. Myer is a frequent media commentator on matters of urban politics and politics on the CBC and in the

Check out: Toronto’s Problem? Our Public Sector is Poor While Our Private Sector is Booming

Sean Meagher Executive Director, Social Planning Toronto

As Executive Director of Social Planning Toronto, Sean has experience in community development, immigration, tax policy, housing and health. At the helm of Social Planning Toronto, Sean works to improve equity, social justice and quality of life in Toronto through community capacity building, community education and advocacy, policy research and analysis, and social reporting.

Check out: Experts Outline Solutions to Toronto’s Revenue Challenge

Sean Mullin Executive Director, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship

Sean is an economist, public policy expert, leader and thinker. As founding Director, he provides strategic direction and leads the overall day-to-day activities of the institute. He also worked in a Senior Strategy role to the Premier of Ontario and Ontario’s Minister of Finance where he coordinated the development of the annual Budget for the Province of Ontario. Mullin has also published as an author on topics ranging from tax policy, infrastructure, clean technology, economic development and innovation and entrepreneurship.

Selena Zhang Manager, Programs and Research, Institute On Municipal Finance and Governance

Selena brings a mix of public policy and international development experience and education to her role at the IMFG. She has led research on municipal approaches to poverty reduction in Canada, and brings expertise in the areas of policy development, public administration, public finance and community development. Check out: "What We Fund Is What We Do" The 5th Annual Toronto City Manager's Address to IMFG

Sheila Block Senior Economist & Research Associate, Centre for Canadian Policy Alternatives (CCPA)

Sheila is long-time CCPA research associate and participant in the Ontario Alternative Budget roundtable. As former Director of Economic Analysis at the Wellesley Institute, she focused on labour market and public finance research. With more than 15 years of research experience for organizations like the Ontario Federation of Labour, the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario and the United Steelworkers, Sheila has extensive experience in Ontario's progressive movements

Check out: Toronto's Taxing Question; Toronto Could Be $200 Million Richer; Toronto's Elephant In The Room; Toronto's City Budget 2017

Scott Leon Junior Researcher, The Wellesley Institute

As an early career researcher, Scott comes to the Wellesley Institute from the Ontario Ministry of Finance, where he was an Economist working on industrial policy, with the Office of Economic Policy. Scott is involved with the Neighbourhood Change Research Partnership, primarily focused on the private rental market in Toronto. Scott has also written about the inclusion of public health benefits as central criteria for evaluating revenue tools alongside considerations such as potential revenue and their effect on the business community.

Check out: Raising Revenue, Raising Health: Health Supporting Revenue Tools for Toronto

City Councillors

Joe Cressy City Councillor, Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina

Joe understands that strong infrastructure and social services are vital to the quality of life in a big city, and his passion for social justice translates to his work at City Hall. Joe has appointments to the Board of Health, Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board of Directors, Sub-committee on Climate Change and Adaptation, and was named Toronto's Youth Equity Advocate and is a Newcomer Advocate. As Councillor for Ward 20, Joe works tirelessly to build better neighbourhoods, expand and improve public green spaces, and make life in downtown Toronto better for all.

Joe Mihevc City Councillor, Ward 21, St. Paul's West

Joe has more than 25 years' experience as a City Councillor, bringing his passion for social issues to his community building work. As a natural connector and leader, Joe has worked to facilitate and strengthen a variety of initiatives, events and stakeholder tables to build vibrant neighbourhoods, safe and healthy communities, and a clean environment. In addition to sitting on a variety of boards, including as Chair of the Board of Health and TTC Commissioner, he is also a Newcomer Advocate and Council Liaison for Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Joe is committed to cross- sector collaboration to develop innovative solutions to city challenges.

Presentation from the City Manager, Peter Wallace

2016 Preliminary Operating Budget & 2016-2025 Capital Budget & Plan

December 15, 2015 10 YEAR CAPITAL PLAN (TAX-SUPPORTED) WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM: $21.0B $ Million Federal Subsidy, $3,319 , 16%

Provincial Subsidy, $3,137 , 15% Reserves / Reserve Funds, $2,950 , 14%

Development Charges, $21.0B $1,406 , 7%

Other, $908 , 4%

Debt - Recoverable, Capital from Current, $248 , 1% $4,532 , 22%

Debt, $4,457 , 21%

- 42 - 2015 – 2025 TAX-SUPPORTED DEBT SERVICE COST PROJECTION

800

700 627 641 620 640 630 631 602 603 600 531 486 500 287 273 275 457 313 332 289 260 315 400 271 201 243

$ Millions $ 300

200 331 343 353 357 356 287 314 309 256 243 260 100

- 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Interest Payments 201 243 271 315 313 332 289 260 287 273 275 Principal Payments 256 243 260 287 314 309 331 343 353 357 356

- 55 - 2014 MUNICIPAL DEBT AS A % OF OWN REVENUES

16% MUNICIPAL ACT CEILING = 25% OF OWN SOURCE REVENUES 14%

12%

10%

8%

6%

4%

2%

0% Mississauga Durham Hamilton Niagara Halton Ottawa Toronto Peel York

- 57 - WHAT IS UNFINANCED DEBT?

. The City does not pre-fund capital projects . Amounts are spent, then financed in this order: . external funds, . own-source funds, . reserves, then . debt . The net amount spent but not permanently financed at the end of each year = the unfinanced capital outlay (negative capital fund) . Mostly unfinanced debt

- 58 - 3&&9 Appendix C

City of Toronto

Revenue Options Study

KPMG LLP

June 2016

City of Toronto - Revenue Options Study - FINAL.docx

© 2016 KPMG LLP, a Canadian limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.

Document Classification: KPMG Confidential

1 Executive Summary Taxes are necessary to fund public services, infrastructure and social benefits, and governments around the world implement them in many different ways to suit local revenue requirements and economic circumstances. When assessing the net revenue potential of various options for raising revenue, policymakers must weigh a variety of trade-offs, including:  the time and cost for consumers and/or businesses to comply with an option;  the time and cost for government departments to implement, administer and enforce the option;  changes in economic incentives as a result of a revenue option that may produce a shift in consumption from one good, service, sector or location to another; and  the potential for unintended consequences, such as growth in the “underground economy”. Given Toronto’s ongoing growth, numerous demands for investment in public services and infrastructure will continue. For these reasons, the City of Toronto (the “City”) requires a stable and secure foundation upon which to make continued public investments. Accordingly, the City must continually reassess its current revenue mechanisms and analyze options for new sources of revenue.

1.1 Background The City retained KPMG LLP (“KPMG”) to provide a revised assessment of revenue options permitted under the City of Toronto Act, 2006 (“COTA”) and to review additional revenue mechanisms that the City does not yet have legislative authority to implement. The revenue options reviewed in this report that are currently permitted under COTA are:  Alcoholic beverage tax;  Entertainment and amusement tax;  Motor vehicle ownership registration tax;  Parking levy;  Road pricing (specifically downtown cordon charges);1 and  Tobacco tax.

1 The City’s Transportation Services Division has commissioned a separate study to focus on the potential tolling/ road pricing of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway. For more information about this study, please refer to: Executive Committee report 2015 EX8.14, entitled "Tolling Options for the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway", dated September 10, 2015.

City of Toronto Revenue Options Study – FINAL 5

The revenue options reviewed in this report that are not currently permitted under COTA are:  Development levy;  Hotel tax;  Parking sales tax;  Municipal income tax (including business income and personal income); and  Municipal sales tax.

1.2 Key Findings Exhibit 1.1 presents a summary of key findings.

City of Toronto Revenue Options Study – FINAL 6

Exhibit 1.1 – Summary of Findings

Net Annual Estimated Time Revenue Permitted Under Revenue Option to Potential COTA Implementation2 ($ millions) Alcoholic Beverage Tax 20 – 151 Yes 12 months (1 – 10% rate) Entertainment and Amusement Tax 3 – 35 Yes 12 months (1 - 10% rate) Motor Vehicle Registration Tax 18 – 94 Yes 6 months ($20 to $100) Parking Levy 171 – 535 Yes 18 months ($0.50 to $1.50 per spot / day) Road Pricing (Cordon Charges) 89 – 377 Yes 36 months ($5 to $20 per day) Tobacco Tax 5 - 46 Yes 12 months (1 – 10% rate) Development Levy 17 – 87 No 12 months (2 – 10% rate) Hotel Tax 21 – 126 No 12 months (2 – 14% rate) Municipal Business Income Tax 145 – 580 No 24 months (0.5 – 2%) Municipal Personal Income Tax 580 – 926 No 24 months (1%) Municipal Sales Tax 125 - 515 No 24 months (0.5 – 2% rate) Parking Sales Tax 30 – 121 No 12 months (5 – 20% rate)

2 Each revenue option could be implemented in different ways, potentially requiring legislative approval or cooperation from the Province of Ontario, cooperation or agreement from the Government of Canada and/or approval from City Council. The estimated time to implementation refers to the approximate length of time from when City Staff receives the requisite approvals and direction to proceed until the revenue option is fully implemented. Since it is inherently difficult to gauge these external factors, the projections included in this report should be read as rough order of magnitude estimates only. Further study will be required depending on how the City seeks to proceed for each revenue option.

City of Toronto Revenue Options Study – FINAL 7 Unfunded Projects Cost ($ million) George Street Revitalization 480 Lower Don Flood Protection 975 Downtown Relief Line 4,100 TCHC State of Good Repair 1,046 30 km/hr speed limits 0.400 SmartTrack 2,600 Poverty Reduction Strategy 10 Youth Employment Strategy 0.633 Emergency Cold Weather 0.416 Drop-in Shelters TTC Board Approved 2,679 (earlier Sunday service, bus and streetcar reliability, track safety, maintenance) Enhanced Paramedic Services 3.228 Tree Canopy Investment 1.664 Participatory Budgeting 0.171

Funding Tool Revenue Potential

Property taxes Currently $3.954b (39% of all revenues)

Provincial grants and Currently $1.935b subsidies (19% of all revenues)

Municipal Land Transfer Tax Currently $532m (MLTT) (5% of all revenues)

Motor Vehicle Registration $20-100/vehicle/year Tax = $18-94m

Local sales tax 0.5-2% = $125-515m

"Sin" taxes 1-10% = $25-197m (alcohol and cigarettes) (combined)

Entertainment and 1-10% = $3-35m amusement tax Parking levy $0.50-1.50 per spot/day = $171-535m

Parking sales tax 5-20% = $30-121m Development levy 2-10% = $17-87m

Road pricing $5-20 per day = $89-377m

Hotel Occupancy Tax 2-14% = $21-126m

Political Timeline

Phase 1 of LTFP Consultation Phase 2 of LTFP Consultation

Advocacy Window Democracy in Action: What Can We Do?

The following is a list of possible actions that you as an individual, as a representative, or as an organization can undertake to influence the outcome of the City revenue discussion.

Individual Actions  Write to a councillor, the Mayor, or all Members of Council Social Media  Start or sign a petition  Write an op-ed, blog post, article  Make a deputation at a committee  Send a written or visual communication to a committee (this will be included in the agenda item) #FundABetterTO  Use social media to share your thoughts o Use a hashtag, meme or GIF #politicalcourage o Tweet at Members of Council o Share relevant articles #payingforstuff o Retweet others!  Have a private conversation with someone #dolladollabillzTO else who is also interested in taking action

Group/Organizational Actions  Host a public dialogue or community meeting  Bring issue to board members  Hold a press conference  Release a position statement  Hold a rally  Engage with other thought leaders  Collaborate with other groups  Formally contact Members of Council

Join the Movement: What can I or my organization do?

Use this space to make notes on great ideas and to plan your next steps.

10/27/2016 It takes money to produce a great city | Toronto Star Sample Op-Ed Article 1

It takes money to produce a great city The city is at an impasse, where we can either collectively increase expectations of what living in Toronto should feel like or ask residents to live with less.

Toronto needs more revenue tools, write Maureen O’Reilly and John Cartwright, such as a "hotel room tax, which the McGuinty government refused to allow Toronto to utilize." (RADISSON ADMIRAL HOTEL)

By MAUREEN O’REILLY JOHN CARTWRIGHT Fri., Sept. 30, 2016

Toronto has been going through an incredibly difficult time over the last two decades, where working families have seen their wages stagnate while living costs soar, they’ve felt frustration from a transit system that is lagging and city services that are constantly decreasing accessibility.

Earlier in June, city council directed its staff and agencies to cut their budgets by 2.6 per cent. A directive that would see social housing standards decline, wait lists for city programs grow and increased precarity among the front line workers who deliver the helping hands to Torontonians.

The city is at an impasse, where we can either collectively increase expectations of what living in Toronto should feel like or ask residents to live with less. It isn’t a secret to anyone that after the provincial government downloading of programs and amalgamation, the city has experienced tremendous constraint. This squeeze is not because of a bloated bureaucracy — as some would have you believe, but because the cost of running a city, like anyone’s home, has increased and yet our base for revenues has remained static.

Toronto needs new revenues — to build subways and fix roads but also to increase social programs that prevent gun violence, increase access to child care and provide safe recreational opportunities to young adults and children. We need to prioritize the value of social investment just as much as we need to prioritize physical infrastructure. Imagine what financial shape the city would be in without the land transfer tax — it has been the saviour of programs and services that are crucial to the well­being of Toronto.

Toronto City Council will need to act on new avenues for bringing income to the city budget, and we need to look at what can create the greatest amount of public good with the least amount of burden upon residents. There are a wide variety of options being discussed. Some raise a lot of money, others just a few million. There is no escaping the fact that if we want a world class city we will have to pay for it. It would seem obvious that those who have the most must step up and pay a fair share.

Toronto’s real estate has become some of the most valuable in the world, and commercial land owners have benefited lucratively from a booming real estate market. Creating a commercial parking levy for malls and major office buildings could raise anywhere from $171 million up to $535 million depending on the rate set. If the parking lot owners can charge $30/day for parking downtown they can pay a small fee to the city for maintaining the roads which their customers drive on, their sidewalks and other infrastructure.

There should be exemptions for small strip malls where independent local stores are located. But when the giant malls are making massive increases in sales in one year — anywhere from 18 per cent for Yorkdale; 8 per cent for Fairview and the Eaton Center; to 33 per cent for the Royal Bank Plaza — they can surely afford to ease the burden of property tax on people with modest or fixed incomes.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/09/30/it­takes­money­to­produce­a­great­city.html 1/2 10/27/2016 It takes money to produce a great city | Toronto Star Almost all of the options for new revenues were rejected by City Council during the Mayor Rob Ford days. There is a process to review them again, but road tolls are highly controversial and the province has not agreed to give the city power to apply income or sales tax. A hotel room tax, which the McGuinty government refused to allow Toronto to utilize, is well overdue.

There is no doubt that the massive corporations who would contribute to a commercial parking levy would launch a fierce lobby of City Hall. They did last time, and will again. But these are the same entities that have benefitted richly from the deep cuts to corporate tax rates at both the federal and provincial levels over the past decade. And as every chart will illustrate, it’s the 1 per cent who have appropriated all of the increased wealth since the 2008 meltdown, leaving everyone else with stagnant wages and the next generation with precarious jobs.

We all have a choice — we can be resigned to expect a city that does less and provides less, or we can advocate for a city that creates opportunities and ensures equity of access and development. Working families deserve something better, and we urge council to make the tough decisions to invest in our future and make the tax system more fair in the process.

Maureen O’Reilly is the chair of the Municipal Committee of the Toronto & York Region Labour Council and President of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union. John Cartwright is President of the Labour Council.

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/09/30/it­takes­money­to­produce­a­great­city.html 2/2 10/28/2016 Experts Outline Solutions to Toronto’s Revenue Challenge ­ Social Planning Toronto Sample joint position statement Experts Outline Solutions to Toronto’s Revenue Challenge

Posted by Carl Carganilla on January 07, 2016

Home (/) / Updates (/updates) / Experts Outline Solutions to Toronto’s Revenue Challenge

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 6, 2016 Experts Outline Solutions to Toronto’s Revenue Challenge

January 6th, (Toronto, ON) - Whether you look at it from the perspective of economics, community services or city building, experts gathered at City Hall agreed there are concrete steps the City can take to solve its revenue problems and get back on track building a world class city. “There are clear and accessible options to enable the City to invest millions in key programs like housing, transit and childcare that help this city thrive,” said Sheila Block, Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario Office. “They just have to act.”

The available revenue tools, including liquor taxes, parking fees, licensing fees and tolls, were outlined in detail by Ms. Block for a packed room of City Councillors, community leaders and media at City Hall today. Ms. Block identified over $440 million in potential revenues that the City has the power to levy now. “Revenue tools aren’t a pipe dream, it’s not a vague concept, it's a specific menu of options the City has, but has never acted on,” said Sean Meagher, Executive Director of Social Planning Toronto. “There are clear choices the City can make and the money is there if they want it.” Community members were quick to voice frustration at the City’s ongoing inability to fund the commitments it makes, from transit to housing. “The City keeps setting goals and missing them, and that has consequences,” said Leila Sarangi, Community Programs Manager at Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke, a women’s shelter and outreach centre. “Service providers rely on City programs to be able to deliver the supports people need.” Council will debate the 2016 budget over the next two months and community leaders, including the United Way, the Board of Trade, CivicAction and 50 other organizations across Toronto, have called on them to invest $75 million new dollars in poverty reduction this year in a letter published in December (http://www.povertyreductionto.ca/poverty-reduction-letter.html). The revenues to achieve that goal, and many more, are identified in Ms. Block’s paper on revenue tools, Toronto’s Taxing Question (https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Ontario%20Office/2015/01/Torontos_Taxing_Question.pdf) published by CCPA Ontario. For more information please contact: Sean Meagher, Executive Director, Social Planning Toronto 416-820-7889, [email protected] Sheila Block, Senior Economist, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario office 416-985-8041, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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http://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/experts_outline_solutions_to_toronto_s_revenue_challenge 1/2 EX16.3.12 (Sample written committee deputation) 140 ISLINGTON AVENUE ETOBICOKE, ON M8V 3B6 TELEPHONE 416 252 7949 FAX 416 252 1520 www.womens-habitat.ca

June 28, 2016

Dear Executive Committee Members:

Please accept this written submission in lieu of my verbal deputation before the Executive Committee today regarding item EX16.3, the Updated Assessment of Revenue Options under the City of Toronto Act, 2006.

I am a community development worker at Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke, a shelter and outreach centre for women and their dependents who have experienced violence. I am writing on behalf of Women’s Habitat, and a group of women from Ward 6 in South Etobicoke who regularly attend our Thursday Drop-in Group.

We are writing to ask that you look at the revenue options before you as important opportunities to fund programs and services that are crucial to addressing the poverty faced by women and their children in South Etobicoke, and across the city.

As we sat and talked last Thursday, the women at our drop-in told me about the poverty they face in their neighbourhoods, and what they think the City could do about it. They wanted you to know that, although South Etobicoke hasn’t been identified as a priority neighbourhood, their neighbourhoods are struggling just as much as other neighbourhoods in other wards.

They talked about their struggle to find affordable, accessible, and adequate housing. The housing they can afford is poorly maintained – bed bugs are a problem, and then there’s the backlog of repairs. They have very little faith in the services available to address bed bugs, and said they need the city to take a more active role. They also want the city to tackle long wait lists for housing, and address the disproportionate burden of property taxes for people living on low incomes.

They had some ideas about how the city could begin to do this work, such as:

 incentivizing landlords to fill empty units, rather than keep them empty,  implementing a progressive scale for property taxes,  ensuring there are more measures in place to keep tenants housed and secure their tenure, and  implementing additional taxes or fees for land developers as a means of bringing in revenue to address the lack of affordable and adequate housing.

Registered Charities No. 12912-2065RR-0001 140 ISLINGTON AVENUE ETOBICOKE, ON M8V 3B6 TELEPHONE 416 252 7949 FAX 416 252 1520 www.womens-habitat.ca

They went on to explain how their experiences of poverty are impacted by expensive transit fares and an inadequate and unreliable transit network in South Etobicoke. They stressed that a lack of reliable and affordable transit isolates them in their communities. That isolation has serious impacts on their mental health. People are “shut-in,” unable to access volunteer and job opportunities. They wanted to point out that not all agencies accepting volunteers can afford to cover their transportation costs, or should be expected to. And for those women who do have jobs, unreliable transit means they might often be late for work, risking their employment and contributing to the impact transit delays have had on the city’s economy.

They said the best way to improve access to public transit was to reduce fares for people living on no or low incomes, including seniors and social assistance recipients. Some suggested discounted rates or rebates, while others recommended free access. Many thought it would be a good idea to offer free or discounted service during off-peak periods.

Then, the women went on to describe the fear and isolation they experience when they don’t feel safe in their communities. Feeling too scared to come out of their homes only isolates them further, they explained. They recognized the roles the City and the Toronto Housing Corporation should play in addressing safety concerns, by working closely with the community to identify and implement solutions.

Before I left last Thursday’s drop-in, the women there asked me to stress that inadequate, inaccessible, and unaffordable transit and housing isolates women from their communities, from employment and skill-building opportunities, and from valuable services and programs. This isolation has a very serious impact on their overall health and wellbeing, and on their capacity to escape violence and realize financial security and independence.

These women, and those of us working in the VAW sector, understand the link between gender-based violence and gender-based poverty. We understand the link between gender-based poverty and the unsettling levels of child poverty in Toronto. We spent the last 2 years talking to over 2,000 women across the city, and they said that the top three barriers they face to achieving wellbeing for themselves, their children, and their communities are:

 the lack of affordable, accessible, safe and well-maintained housing,  isolation from, and the struggle to find good job opportunities and steady employment, and  accessing affordable childcare.

Women are already disproportionately affected by poverty, and the compounding impacts of underemployment, and unaffordable, inaccessible, and inadequate housing, childcare, jobs and transit. So many women struggle daily to access crucial programs and services, and we’ve seen the impact this has had on the safety, security, and wellbeing of children in our city. Addressing gender-based poverty means investing in the programs, services, and infrastructure women need to provide for themselves and their families.

Registered Charities No. 12912-2065RR-0001

140 ISLINGTON AVENUE ETOBICOKE, ON M8V 3B6 TELEPHONE 416 252 7949 FAX 416 252 1520 www.womens-habitat.ca

The 2016 budget left out a significant chunk of funding needed for services and programs that could help realize a shared vision of prosperity in Toronto, and we are worried that this will be repeated in 2017. You’re being asked to consider a 2.6% cut across the board later in today’s meeting. We urge you to reject further cuts to programs and services, as they will only compound the impacts of poverty on women and the people who depend on them.

You have been presented with an opportunity to address these threats to the wellbeing of marginalized and vulnerable women, and their families, across the City. The revenue tools you’re reviewing today could cover some of the costs required for important poverty reduction initiatives; initiatives that could go a long way in addressing the serious problems facing women who are trying to escape violence and poverty. Reviewing the revenue tools from KPMG’s report against the list of needed investments for poverty reduction initiatives, we believe there are ample opportunities to address the issues these women raised and the challenges women living in poverty face across the city.

The tools are before you. The opportunities identified and costed out. I urge you – on behalf of Women’s Habitat, our Thursday Drop-in Group, and all the women we support – to seize the opportunity to actively address gender-based poverty in Toronto, today.

Thank you,

Laura Buccioni Community Development Worker, Women and Micro-Enterprise Project Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke

Registered Charities No. 12912-2065RR-0001

EX16.3.2 (Sample written committee deputation)

June 26, 2016

10th floor, West Tower, City Hall 100 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 email: [email protected] Att: Jennifer Forkes, Executive Committee Secretariat

RE: EX 16.3 Updated Assessment of Revenue Options under the City of Toronto Act, 2006

Dear Mayor Tory and Members of the Executive Committee,

We provide this correspondence on behalf of the Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations (FoNTRA), an umbrella organization for over 30 resident associations in North Toronto and North York that are concerned about the planning and development of our City. We strongly support the efforts to address the longer term finances of the City, and concur with the increasing consensus that the City does indeed have a serious revenue problem.

We submit that revenue measures under consideration should be assessed not just from a financial perspective, or for their ease of administration, but also for their contribution (negative or positive) to “city building”. In other words do they align with Official Plan objectives, such as building a city that reduces the need for travel, that encourages true mixed use development, that is walking and biking friendly, that is green, and more equitable for all its residents?

As such we recommend that the non-residential Parking Levy should be seriously considered by Council. It is apparent that there is a blatant inequity currently with respect to paying for parking spaces that works against Official Plan objectives. Public spaces, such as those on main streets are charged for, yet private spaces such as big box parking lots and shopping malls are free. A parking levy on private spaces would start to rectify the inequity faced by small businesses and BIAs competing with shopping malls and big box stores.

We strongly recommend that Council direct staff to consider “contribution to city building” in its consideration of revenue tools.

1 Thank you for the opportunity to present these comments.

Yours truly,

Geoff Kettel Cathie Macdonald Co-Chair, FoNTRA Co-Chair, FoNTRA 129 Hanna Road 57 Duggan Ave. Toronto, Ontario Toronto, ON M4G 3N6 M4V 1Y1 [email protected] [email protected]

Cc: Peter Wallace, City Manager , Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning

The Federation of North Toronto Residents' Associations (FoNTRA) is a non-profit, volunteer organization comprised of over 30 member organizations. Its members, all residents’ associations, include at least 170,000 Toronto residents within their boundaries. The residents’ associations that make up FoNTRA believe that Ontario and Toronto can and should achieve better development. Its central issue is not whether Toronto will grow, but how. FoNTRA believes that sustainable urban regions are characterized by environmental balance, fiscal viability, infrastructure investment and social renewal.

2 Form Your Strategy: How can use my influence to best effect change?

Use this space to make notes on great ideas and to plan your next steps.

Build Capacity: How can I strengthen the capacity of my network? Who are my best allies? Where do I need help?

Use this space to make notes on great ideas and to plan your next steps.

Media Contacts

The following journalists have contributed to the dialogue around revenue tools and municipal finances in the past year and may be interested in material for new stories.

Jennifer Pagliaro Toronto Star City Hall Reporter @jpags Check out: "Mayor Tory commits to protecting anti-poverty plan investments" from July 25, 2016. https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2016/07/25/mayor-tory-commits-to-protecting-anti-poverty-plan- investments.html

David Rider Toronto Star City Hall bureau chief @dmrider Check out: " moves ahead but questions remain" from October 22, 2016. https://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2016/09/22/rail-deck-park-moves-ahead-but-questions-remain.html

Royson James Toronto Star columnist @RoysonJames Check out: "Toronto needs to take one last step to reach civic greatness: James" from October 16, 2016. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/16/toronto-needs-to-take-one-last-step-to-reach-civic-greatness- james.html

Edward Keenan Toronto Star columnist @thekeenanwire Check out: " Budget cuts at Toronto libraries ‘rip the heart out’: Keenan" from October 26, 2016. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/26/column-toronto-public-library-cedarbrae-librarybudget-cuts-at- toronto-libraries-rip-the-heart-out-keenan.html

Matt Elliott Metro News columnist @graphicmatt Check out: " Cigarettes, icebergs and dark roads: Toronto’s fiscal future boils down to few scary analogies" from October 24, 2016. http://www.metronews.ca/views/toronto/torys-toronto-matt-elliott/2016/10/24/toronto-fiscal- future-full-of-scary-analogies-.html

John Lorinc Freelance journalist @JohnLorinc Check out: " LORINC: The Attack of the Killer Revenue Tools" from May 25, 2016. http://spacing.ca/toronto/2016/05/25/law-diminishing-returns-2/

Marcus Gee Globe and Mail columnist @marcusbgee Check out: "New Toronto taxes: ’s moment of truth" from June 24, 2016. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/new-taxes-in-toronto-john-torys-moment-of-truth/article30611925/

Jeff Gray Globe and Mail City Hall reporter @jeffreybgray Check out: "Toronto needs new revenue sources, not quick fixes, budget report warns" from May 16, 2016. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/toronto-can-no-longer-rely-on-quick-fixes-budget-report- warns/article30040986/

David Hains, Torontoist @DavidHains Check out: " Toronto Should Get Angry About How Council Has Failed to Address the City’s Social Housing Crisis" from August 22, 2016. http://torontoist.com/2016/08/toronto-social-housing-crisis-tchc-budget-2017/

Neville Park Torontoist @neville_park Check out: "Torontoist explains: City Council revenue tools" from February 11, 2016. http://torontoist.com/2016/02/torontoist-explains-city-council-revenue-tools/

Jonathan Goldsbie NOW Magazine City Hall reporter @goldsbie Check out: https://nowtoronto.com/topics/jonathan-goldsbie/ Community Activity on Budgets and Revenue Tools

Purpose This activity is meant to introduce participants to concepts pertaining to the City Budget process and the Long Term Financial Plan, and to provide a jumping-off point for more discussion. In particular, participants will become familiar with different types of revenue tools and their revenue-generating power; they will also learn about some of the major infrastructure and program commitments that City Council has approved but are as-yet unfunded.

Participants will be able to decide for themselves which projects are of value to the City and how they would like to pay for them.

This activity is a good precursor to a talk, presentation or discussion. It works well at the start of a community meeting when people are first arriving. Materials Needed  Printed one-page posters of possible revenue tools  Several copies of the "Unfunded Projects Menu"  Several copies of the "Funding Tool/Revenue Potential" sheet  Cue cards – you can pre-write a few for each unfunded project, but keep a stack blank as well  Coloured masking or painter's tape  Markers

A PDF of the print materials is available at www.joemihevc.com/circle-of-city-builders/ Setup On a blank wall, tape the revenue tool posters in a vertical column at eye-level (you may need to do this in two or three columns). Using the coloured tape, create horizontal grid lines.

On a nearby table, place copies of the "Unfunded Projects Menu" and "Funding Tool/Revenue Potential" sheets. Place cue cards (both pre-written and blank) at the front of the table. Place several markers on the table. You may also wish to pre- tear several strips of masking tape. Instructions Participants are asked to consider which unfunded project they would like to get funded. They can choose from the menu or write their own. They can then look at the different revenue tools available to decide how they would like to pay for their project. Once they have decided, they can tape a cue card with the project name into the row representing the revenue tool.

Participants may wish to do this more than once. It is important to have at least one person available to explain the task, and to answer questions about the revenue tool options and the unfunded projects. Suggested Follow-Up After participants have completed the exercise, have a group discussion about which projects were considered important and why they have chosen the revenue tools. Look for patterns and preferences. Decide as a group to lobby councillors for a project/revenue tool.

How YOU can impact decision-making in your city!

Who we are:

Social Planning Toronto is a non-profit, charitable community organization that works to improve equity, social justice and quality of life in Toronto through community capacity building, community education and advocacy, policy research and analysis, and social reporting.

Commitment to Community (C2C) is a coalition of over 60 advocacy groups, faith communities, agencies and residents which advocates for equitable and fairer city policies, programs and services in Toronto.

What we do:

Social Planning Toronto and C2C provides:  Information on the city budget  Training on how to make a deputation to speak out at City Council  Training on how to contact and meet with your City Councillor  Support for preparing deputations  Support in organizing a budget town hall in your community

Get in touch with us!

Susan Kwong Michael Polanyi Community Planner Community Worker Social Planning Toronto Community Development and 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1001 Prevention Program Toronto, ON M5B 1J3 Children's Aid Society of Office: 416-351-0095 x212 Toronto Cell: 416-562-8110 30 Isabella Street Fax: 416-351-0107 Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1N1 [email protected] Office: 416-924-4640 x2989 Cell: 416-712-6573 Fax: 416-324-2489 [email protected]

1. What is a City Councillor? In all major cities, citizens elect an individual to act as a representative for their neighbourhood or ward in their local government. This individual is responsible for ensuring the concerns of their citizens are being brought up in local government affairs. Some actions that your City Councillor can do for you include:

 Holding community meetings in the ward  Mailing out information to the constituency  Raising questions at City Council meetings  Asking for reports or research from municipal staff  Holding media conferences with partners on key issues

Together, neighbourhood or ward representatives comprise a city’s council, which is the main governing and legislative body for a city. In Toronto, this representative is a called a City Councillor. Toronto City Council consists of the Mayor and 44 City Councillors. Each City Councillor represents one of the city’s wards. City Councillors also sit on committees, community councils and boards in their ward and for citywide issues (City of Toronto, 2014). 2. Who is my City Councillor? To find out who your City Councillor is, simply enter your home address into the City of Toronto’s ward profileswebsite. 3. When should I communicate with my City Councillor? You can contact your City Councillor for a variety of reasons, for example:

 To ask how they will be voting on an upcoming issue  To encourage them to vote for or against a particular issue  To provide information that does not seem to be well understood about a current issue  To request their attendance at an event

As an advocate, you can communicate with your City Councillor:

 When they can influence an upcoming decision that interests you.  When you can offer them insight into an issue that interests you.  When you want to use their position on an issue or presence at an event to attract attention to an issue. 4. How should I communicate with my City Councillor? Communication with your City Councillor should be focused, clear and polite. Focus: When you phone, email, or write to the Councillor, you should focus on one issue. Focusing on one issue allows you to speak clearly and straightforwardly and to make a particular, achievable request of the Councillor. This provides the Councillor with a clear message that this issue is of importance to their ward and they will be able to respond with a focused answer. Clarity: Keep your language simple and brief. You want to ensure that the Councillor’s attention is not lost before they get to the end of your message. If you have a particular request of the Councillor or a question for them, make sure it is clearly stated. If you would like a response from the Councillor, ask directly for one and provide your preferred method of response. Politeness: Showing passion for an issue is important, but maintain a positive and polite tone in your speech or writing. City Councillors receive many requests each day and you should demonstrate the tone that you wish to receive back from the Councillor. If you are angry about an issue, directing this anger at the City Councillor will not establish a positive working relationship with the Councillor. 5. How do I contact my City Councillor? Getting in touch with your City Councillor is easier than you think! City Councillors are eager to meet with their constituents. There are several ways to communicate with your City Councillor: meeting with them in-person, talking to them on the telephone, and writing a letter. All of their contact information is listed on the City of Toronto ward profiles website. Commonly, a staff member in the City Councillor’s office, such as their administrative assistant, will be your first point of contact. You may choose to leave your message or request with the administrative assistant, or you may choose to schedule another time to speak directly with the City Councillor. To stay organized, record the names of the individuals that you speak to at the constituency office. Not only does this maintain consistency, but it can also help establish a friendly rapport with staff. 5a. Meeting in person Setting up an appointment (telephone or email)

 Advise the constituency staff of the issue you would like to discuss and what you want to achieve.  Also advise them of anyone else who will be attending the meeting.  Have patience and be flexible in setting a date and time for the meeting.  Follow up. Confirm the date, time, location and length of the scheduled meeting.

Before your meeting At your meeting After your meeting

 Stay informed on the issue  Briefly introduce yourself  Call or email to thank  Develop a list of questions and state why you are your Councillor for or suggestions there, and what you meeting with you  If you’d like, bring a written need from your  In your letter, summarize brief that provides Councillor any commitments that background information,  Present your case in a were made, and ask for your concerns, and your clear and concise way an update on what has suggested actions  Focus on one or two been done  Arrive a few minutes prior to issues only the meeting time  Insist on straight answers to your questions  If your Councillor agrees with you, get it in writing  Be mindful of the length of the meeting  If you are unclear about something, ask for clarification  Have a calm and respectful dialogue, even if you disagree  Thank your Councillor for the time and opportunity to meet

5b. Speaking on the telephone Councillors have busy schedules, so it may be difficult to arrange a telephone conversation. If you cannot wait for your Councillor to become available, you can still speak with your Councillor’s assistant, who can pass your message along. For an effective telephone conversation, keep the following in mind:

 Introduce yourself and identify yourself as a constituent. You can do so by providing your postal code or address.  Give the reason for your call, and explain what concerns you.  Ask pointed questions.  Ask for a commitment to action.  Let you Councillor know that this issue will matter to you in the next election.  Follow up. Find out what actions were taken as a result of your call, and respond appropriately.

5c. Writing letters Writing a letter to your City Councillor, either by email or by post, can be an effective way to communicate your concern or support for an issue. Although similar, it is important to note that writing to your City Councillor as their constituent differs from submitting a written comment to a committee of council. While you may write to your City Councillor at any time for any issue, submitting written comments follows a more formal process. When writing to your City Councillor, keep in mind the style and content of your letter. Toronto Environmental Alliance has a great sample letter for writing to your City Councillor that you can use as a guide. Style:

 Try to make your letter personal by including your own experiences.  Keep to the same topic and emphasize two or three major points.  Be concise. Try to keep the letter to one page and do not exceed two pages.  If you have more information to share, include any materials in the envelope or attach it to your email.

Content:

 Include your name and contact information.  State your objective from the outset. Follow with a brief introduction outlining your concerns.  Describe your interest in and any experience you have with the issue.  Ask questions that prompt a response. Ask for clarification on your City Councillor’s position.  Request a commitment to a specific action, and give rationale for your request.  Thank them for any positive action they have taken in the past on your issue.  Request that the City Councillor respond to your letter. It’s always important to stay organized and follow up. Stay organized by keeping a copy of the letter you sent so that you can easily refer back to it when needed. Follow up by writing back to your City Councillor thanking them for their response, and reminding them of any commitments that they have made. You can also increase your impact by sharing your letter with other individuals and organizations that are advocating for your issue. Depending on your issue, advocacy organizations will sometimes provide letter templates on their websites. Letter templates are useful when you are unsure of what to say, but still want voice your support for an issue. 6. Are there other ways to contact City Councillors? As mentioned above, City Councillors also sit on committees, community councils, and boards. To view a list of these groups, visit the Toronto City Council and Committees website. For some citywide issues, you may find that a particular committee is working towards goals that interest you. Following the work of committees can be another way to get informed and involved in Toronto’s municipal government. Committees hold regular meetings, many of which you can attend as an interested member of the public. The meeting times are posted at the committees link above – just click on the committee that interests you. You can also see meeting minutes from past meetings if you would like to see what issues have been discussed and what decisions have been made. As well, committees often have requests for public comment, meaning they want to hear from the public about a particular issue. Whether you are presenting a deputation or submitting a written comment, making a public comment is a great opportunity to address a number of City Councillors at once about an issue they have on their agenda.

Name Ward Phone Twitter John Tory, Mayor 416-397-2489 @JohnTory Ainslie, Paul 43 416-392-4008 @cllrainslie, @Ainslie_Ward43 Augimeri, Maria 9 416-392-4021 @MariaAugimeri Bailão, Ana 18 416-392-7012 @Ward18AnaBailao Berardinetti, Michelle 35 416-392-0213 @CouncillorMB Burnside, Jon 26 416-392-0215 @jon_burnside Campbell, John 4 416-392-1369 @Campbell4Ward4 Carmichael Greb, Christin 16 416-392-4090 @CarmichaelGreb Carroll, Shelley 33 416-392-4038 @shelleycarroll Vacant 42 Colle, Josh 15 416-392-4027 @JoshColle Crawford, Gary 36 36 416-392-4052 @CllrCrawford Cressy, Joe 20 416-392-4044 @joe_cressy Crisanti, Vincent 1 416-392-0205 @vcrisanti Davis, Janet 31 416-392-4035 @Janet_Davis De Baeremaeker, Glenn 38 416-392-0204 Di Ciano, Justin 5 416-392-4040 @JustinDiCiano Di Giorgio, Frank 12 416-395-6437 @FDiGiorgio12 Doucette, Sarah 13 416-392-4072 @DoucetteWard13 Filion, John 23 416-392-0210 @johnfilion23 Fletcher, Paula 30 416-392-4060 @PaulaFletcher30 Ford, Michael 2 416-397-9255 @MichaelFordTO Fragedakis, Mary 29 29 416-392-4032 @mfragedakis Grimes, Mark 6 416-397-9273 @Mark_Grimes Holyday, Stephen 3 416-392-4002 @stephenholyday Karygiannis, Jim 39 416-392-1374 @jimkarygiannis Kelly, Norm 40 416-392-4047 @norm Layton, Mike 19 416-392-4009 @m_layton Lee, Chin 41 416-392-1375 @CncllrChinLee Mammoliti, Giorgio 7 416-395-6401 Matlow, Josh 22 416-392-7906 @JoshMatlow McConnell, Pam 28 416-392-7916 @PamMcConnell28 McMahon, Mary-Margaret 32 416-392-1376 @mary_margaret32 Mihevc, Joe 21 416-392-7460 @joemihevc Minnan-Wong, Denzil 34 416-397-9256 @DenzilMW Moeser, Ron 44 416-392-1373 @ron_moeser Nunziata, Frances 11 416-392-4091 @FrancesNunziata Palacio, Cesar 17 416-392-7011 Pasternak, James 10 416-392-1371 @JamesPasternak Perks, Gord 14 416-392-7919 @gordperks Perruzza, Anthony 8 416-338-5335 @PerruzzaTO Robinson, Jaye 25 416-395-6408 @JayeRobinson Shiner, David 24 416-395-6413 Thompson, Michael 37 416-397-9274 @Thompson_37 Wong-Tam, Kristyn 27 416-392-7903 @kristynwongtam

Copy us on tweets @reducePovertyTO • #TOpoli #TOCouncil #TOProsperity #TOBudget

Poverty Reduction Toronto

Call your Councillor or send a tweet with their twitter handle in it.

Let them know you live in the ward and that you hope the City will be listening to their community by not cutting city services or infrastructure in the 2017 budget.

Tell them to go to PovertyReductionTO.ca for more info.

What is advocacy?

Effective advocates influence public policy, laws and budgets by using facts, their relationships, the media, and messaging to educate government officials and the public on the changes they want to bring for their community.

Principles of advocacy

 Know the facts: To gain and maintain credibility, it is critical that you have the all of the facts on both sides of any issue. Having this information at your finger-tips will help you in conversations with government officials, the media, other advocates, and the general public.  Use the facts: Any position you take should be grounded in the facts. It is often helpful to put your facts into one-pagers that you can distribute.  Have clear and concise message: Government officials, the press and the general public do not have time for long-winded conversations or documents—you need to get to your point quickly and concisely. And remember to watch out for the jargon and acronyms used in different fields—you want everyone to understand the issues you are raising.  Nurture relationships and work collaboratively: Advocacy is a joint venture- you need to find your allies and work with them. Your chances of success are much greater when there are large numbers of organizations and people on your side. Whenever possible, be sure you and your allies have consistent data and the same messages.  Engage the public: Use the media, social media, petitions, letters, e-mails and other grassroots strategies to engage as many New Yorkers as you can. Remember numbers speak loudly to elected officials!  Make your voice heard! Advocacy is not the place for being shy. Make sure you spread the word—through meetings with government officials, press conferences, letters, petitions, rallies, and phone calls. And don’t forget to talk about what you are advocating for at dinner parties and social events- you never know who can become a useful ally.  Say thank you: Remember that everyone is busy and their time is valuable. Keep your meetings short and always say thank you afterwards. When your advocacy is a success, always thank everyone who helped you achieve your victory!