Debate on new taxes, fees could be on horizon as Toronto's fiscal struggles loom large
CBC
Facing a $993-million budget shortfall this year, city council could be poised to once again study new taxes on parking, congestion or retail sales to shore up Toronto's fiscal health.
Councillors on the city's budget committee were briefed this week by staff on eight measures that could raise hundreds of millions of dollars. And with the city facing perennial budget shortfalls, which have only grown worse since the COVID-19 pandemic, Coun. Chris Moise urged his fellow councillors to ask staff to study some of the measures in depth.
Waiting for provincial and federal bailouts to balance the budget every year isn't sustainable, he said.
"If we continue down this path, the same things will continue," he said.
"What's the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. And so, in my mind, what we continue to do is somewhat insane."
Moise said he will ask his fellow councillors to endorse a request to city staff for further study of a parking lot levy. Consultants have estimated that fee could raise hundreds of millions for the city each year. His request is expected to come before council at its Feb. 7 meeting.
Earlier this week, staff delivered briefing notes on taxes and fees in response to councillor requests, culling much of the information from past reports to council.
Those notes say an alcohol tax could raise between $21 million to $151 million a year. An entertainment and amusement tax on entry fees to places like amusement parks and movie theatres could raise $4 million to $35 million annually.
Resurrecting the vehicle registration tax on licence-plate renewals, which was scrapped by council under former mayor Rob Ford, would raise between $18 to $94 million a year. Congestion pricing set at $5 to $20 a day could generate between $89 million to $377 million annually.
A municipal sales tax set at one per cent on some goods and services could raise $360 million a year.
A personal municipal income tax would raise approximately $580 million a year if it was set at one per cent on the employment income of city residents. It could raise $926 million a year by putting a levy on taxable income.
And a commercial parking levy on city-wide lots is projected to raise between $171 to $535 million a year.
City staff cautioned that much of the information used to supply those figures dates back to a 2016 report from consulting firm KPMG. Many of those same taxes and fees require millions in administrative costs and special permission from the province or federal government to levy.
"I think we do mention it in the note that this data is outdated and that we do need to work with an external party that has expertise in these areas to help us create better forecasts," the city treasurer Heather Taylor told the committee this week.
A surgeon who used to work at Flin Flon's hospital says residents in the northwestern Manitoba city have been left in a precarious situation after more than five years without general surgery services.
Moubarak Bokhit Ali's memories of his home country of Sudan are punctuated by flashes of violence.
The man behind the Moose Jaw health centre that has claimed “a 100 per cent success rate in stopping the progression and in restoring function of people with ALS” says a recent CBC story about his company is evidence that he is seen as “a direct threat to the ALS drug industry.”
The Neighbour to Neighbour Centre’s trans and non-binary grocery program, which offers free food and household products to community members once a month, began with a simple question: how do we get free menstrual products to trans people without being awkward?
Bill Van Vugt is living a life that's unlike most other people his age, and one which has seen him turn a longtime hobby into championship gold.
The provincial government is taking steps toward improving Alberta's lucrative sand and gravel industry.
As medical labs across Ontario remain understaffed, one medical association is calling on the province to expand labs’ capacity for student placements by funding positions to train them.
The year wrapping up means it's getting closer to tax season, and the federal Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will once again be offering free filing services for Islanders with modest incomes.
It's not so easy to remove a politician from office between elections in Canada.
Natasha Martin-Mitchell says creating art gives her a sense of calmness that acts as a medicine during stressful times.
Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves in his first game back from injury to power the Jets to a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday that snapped Winnipeg's three-game losing skid.
Alberta’s auditor general Doug Wylie says his office's budget will be $1.5 million short next fiscal year.
British Columbia has filed a civil claim against e-cigarette giant Juul Labs, alleging the company developed highly addictive nicotine products and fuelled youth nicotine addiction with “deceptive marketing practices.”