Toronto's Draft Budget No Good for the Homeless Or Seniors, Forum Hears Social Planning Toronto Asking Residents to Oppose Cuts

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Dec 19, 2016 | Vote 0 0 Toronto's draft budget no good for the homeless or seniors, forum hears Social Planning Toronto asking residents to oppose cuts

North York Mirror SEE MORE By Mike Adler MOST READ

As cold weather grips Toronto, groups Worker killed in industrial concerned for the homeless and poor say accident in Toronto's Beach the city’s proposed 2017 budget does too neighbourhood little to help.

That the city is still $91 million short of balancing Toronto’s books puts $18.5 UPDATE: Toronto police ﬁnd million a year of homelessness missing Etobicoke woman prevention programs, plus a 30-bed transitional shelter in North York, on the chopping block, people at a Social Planning Toronto (SPT) forum were told. Environment Canada issues freezing rain weather The anti-homelessness programs SPT statement for Toronto says are threatened by the cutsinclude Dissenting on the draft budget drop-ins across the city, support for Mike Adler/METROLAND recently-housed formerly-homeless Sean Meagher, executive director of Social Planning Toronto, (left) and Violent armed robbery tenants, and interest-free loans for low- Adina Lebo, chairperson of a downtown Toronto chapter of the Canadian reported at Toronto Association of Retired Persons, were two speakers at a public forum on marijuana dispensary income renters facing eviction, the Dec. 14 at the North York Civic Centre who argued the City of Toronto's advocacy group says. draft operating budget won't be good for seniors or residents at risk of being homeless. “When I saw this, my heart totally sank,” UPDATE: Boy, 12, missing Lyna Saad, community engagement from Toronto's Yorkdale mall manager for the Scadding Court found Community Centre, added during the event last Wednesday at North York Civic Centre.

Closing Downsview Dells, a shelter where homeless men from downtown’s Seaton House live after getting treatment for their addictions, would save the city $698,000. That closure is not currently in the draft budget, but is on a list for consideration during the budget process

In 2015, Toronto City Council unanimously backed an anti-poverty strategy. To support it, agencies and community groups wanted $75 million in annual investments; they got $11 million last year, and only $2.9 million is proposed for the coming year.

Meanwhile, there are still 90,000 households in the city waiting for affordable housing, and the budget doesn’t do anything to change that, said Saad.

She argued councillors either have to choose “insane cuts” to services for Toronto’s most vulnerable, or agree to use “revenue tools” the city has so far left untouched.

Adina Lebo, founding chair of a downtown Toronto chapter of Canadian Association of Retired Persons, said the draft budget is not good for seniors either, with cuts to transit, housing and other services coming “at a time when more and more seniors are joining the ranks of the poor.”

People don’t want to pay more in property taxes, but talk to them about the TTC, or threatened services such as Meals on Wheels, and most say they’re willing to pay a little more, she said.

The TTC is facing $77 million in budget cuts. Kingsley Kwok, a Scarborough man representing TTC riders, warned service on 43 bus routes is slated to be cut, including some with consistently overcrowded buses at peak times.

Using the TTC in 2017 will be a “more undigniﬁed experience,” Kwok warned. “You’ll spend more time waiting, and more time being uncomfortable.”

On Monday, days after supporters of the homeless staged a march downtown, calling on the city to open emergency shelter spaces, St. Paul’s Councillor Joe Mihevc said every shelter bed is needed – and then some.

People who “don’t tolerate the immorality of allowing our fellow Torontonians to sleep in the streets” are being heard, Mihevc promised.

“I’m hopeful continued community pressure can help council make the right decision.”

SPT (socialplanningtoronto.org) is offering to help residents prepare to speak to budget subcommittees on Jan. 5, 9 or 10 when those councillors visit civic centres in Scarborough, North York, East York, Etobicoke and York for public deputations.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated from its original form. Dec. 20, 2016

Mike Adler is a staff reporter for the Scarborough Mirror and InsideToronto. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter or via the Scarborough Mirror Twitter feed. LOCAL GUIDE !

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