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YOU CAN’T HAVE A GREAT CITY FOR ONLY SIX CENTS ON THE DOLLAR
NEW COALITION DEMANDS:
A FAIR DEAL FOR OUR CITY NOW
TORONTO, Ont. – A strong, new coalition of community, environmental, labour and social justice groups has been formed to fight for a fair deal for Toronto and its residents, it was announced today at Toronto City Hall. Under the banner A Fair Deal For Our City, the coalition will be active in the months leading up to the October election demanding the provincial politicians commit to a fair deal for Toronto and other Ontario cities.
Each year, billions in taxes go from Toronto to Queen’s Park and Ottawa, yet to deliver all its services, the City only takes six cents of every tax dollar Torontonians pay. Police, fire, emergency services, transit, social services, housing, recreation and parks, roads… all of this must come from just six cents on the dollar.
The provincial government has not restored fair funding for public transit, continues to download social service costs onto property taxpayers, and refuses to pay its bills, said John Cartwright, President of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council in announcing the coalition. If we believe in having a strong Toronto, with a decent quality of life for all residents, we have to invest in the future.
We all know what it takes to make a great city. People have come here from around the world, brought with them their skills and their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families, and helped to build Toronto and other cities across the province.
Toronto must be a leader in offering good jobs, creating wealth in a wide range of sectors, affordable transit and housing, strong public services, quality child care and education, a healthy environment, and a future that our young people can believe in, said Raymond Micah, of the African Canadian Social Development Council.
Torontonians want this city to play a role in making our air more breathable, but the City’s Clean Air Action Plan cannot be achieved without real financial resources, said Katrina Miller of the Toronto Environmental Alliance.
Toronto, Ottawa and other cities in the province are reeling from the unfair downloads during the Harris/Eves regimes. Now, with a budget surplus, it is time for the province to live up to its fiscal responsibility and correct the unfair funding situation, said Loly Rico, Chair of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants.
Tenants want a city that is inclusive, where needed services are present, and low income people want an opportunity to participate fully, said Dan McIntyre of the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations.
Between now and October 10th, the coalition will be demanding that every candidate for provincial election commit to immediately resolving this unjust and unsustainable reality. After October 10th, we will continue to pressure the newly elected provincial government to provide a fair deal for Toronto, as well as calling on the federal government to invest in cities.
Founding organizations in the Fair Deal for Our City Coalition includes: African Canadian Social Development Council, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Chinese Canadian National Council (Toronto), Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, David Suzuki Foundation, Federation of Metro Tenants Associations, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, Scarborough Civic Action Network, Toronto Coalition for Better Child Care, Toronto Environmental Alliance, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, Toronto Youth Cabinet, and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. Many others are in the process of joining.
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For further information please contact:
Wendy Forbes 416 892-8716
Katrina Miller 647 272-5024
John Cartwright 416 999-5663
