WARD 21 COMMUNITY CONSULTATION: CITY OF TORONTO BUDGET

Where the Money Goes: Program Expenditures of $9.355Billion 2

BUDGET 2012 We are not in a financial crisis. In fact, we have been here before: 3

BUDGET To address the shortfall, staff suggest raising revenue through: 10% cut to most departments (except police); 2.5% property tax hike; 10¢ TTC fare increase; Increased user fees including recreation programs for children, seniors and low-income individuals, as well as ice rink permits; Sale of assets including Enwave,10% of Toronto Hydro & over 700 TCHC homes.

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IMPACTS TO CITY SERVICES 10% cut will be applied to: Parks, Forestry and Recreation Toronto Public Library TTC Community Organizations Arts Groups Children’s Services / Student Nutrition Program Homeless Shelters Public Health Funding Farms / Zoos 6

Parks, Forestry and Recreation Propose closing 10 out of 22 stand-alone arenas during off-peak day- time hours. In Ward 21, Phil White Arena will be effected. Stop funding to 7 of the City's 33 TDSB-contracted swimming pools: Hillcrest Pool will be affected in our Ward. Eliminate programming at 12 of the City's 29 TDSB shared-use Community Centres: Hillcrest Community Centre will no longer offer City programs. Closing 5 of 105 Wading Pools and 2 of 59 Outdoor Pools (none of which are in Ward 21). 7

HILLCREST COMMUNITY POOL In , there were 9,741 visits & 836 people registered for programs. City covers all operating costs (including those related to daytime use by students). TDSB pays for capital costs. Current 5-year contract between City and TDSB for 33 school pools is up for renewal. 8

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY The Toronto Public Library Board has accepted a 5.7% cut to the TPL operating budget, which will eliminate 100 staff – lost mostly through automatic check-outs. The Mayor & Budget Committee want another 4.3%, which translates to an additional $7.3 million in cuts. 9

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY This 4.3% will translate to $7.3 million in cuts, impacting the following TPL services: literacy programs; book mobile; operating hours; collection acquisitions. 10

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY Across the City, there would be a total loss of 19,444 (7%) operating hours. 56 of 98 branches will have reduced hours. Sunday service will be maintained at 19 branches and eliminated at 8 branches. Also, a cut of $1.89 million to collections would mean a loss of approximately 106,000 (12%) new items. 11

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY The $7.3 million cut would see the following cutbacks in hours: Forest Hill Library – 6 hours of cuts (loss of two mornings / week). Wychwood Library – 6 hours of cuts (loss of two mornings / week). Oakwood Village Library and Arts Centre – 10.5 hours of cuts. 12

Toronto has the highest commuting time in North America – higher even than Los Angeles! – at about 80 minutes. TTC Ridership in 2012 will grow to over 500 million rides. City subsidy has been cut by 10%; provincial subsidy is zero. TTC fares are proposed to go up by 10¢ which will yield $30 million. Across the city, crowding standards during peak hours will increase 10% and approximately 77 routes will be affected by longer wait times. Dialysis patients will no longer be able eligible for Wheel-Trans. Cost to maintain current crowding standard & wait times: $14-15million Cost to maintain service for dialysis patients: $5million. 13

In Ward 21, the following routes will be effected: 7 BATHURST; 63 OSSINGTON; 512 ST. CLAIR. We can expect longer wait times, additional crowding, and fewer transit vehicles on these routes. 14

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP & INVESTMENT PROGRAM Na-Me-Res; Wychwood Open Door; Eritrean Community Centre; The Stop Community Food Centre; St. Stephen’s Community House; Humewood House; Skills for Change; Yorktown Shelter for Women; Senior Peoples in North-Toronto (SPRINT) Budget recommends reducing funding by $4.616 million. Community Agencies provide social services, health support, recreation activities, support for refugees, single parents, households in poverty, etc. These cuts will impact hundreds of the community organizations throughout the City. In Ward 21, these groups will be effected:

Arts Grants 2012 Budget recommendation to cut arts funding by 10% ($1.94 million). For every $1 invested by the City, $17.75 is raised from other sources in support of arts organizations. This translates into a $25 million loss of investment in Toronto, affecting jobs, performances, festivals and exhibitions. In Ward 21, the effects of cuts to the Arts will be felt by our arts organizations at the Artscape Wychwood Barns, Theatre Direct, Tarragon Theatre, and many individual art organizations. 16

STUDENT NUTRITION PROGRAM Student Nutrition Program: This budget will be reduced by approximately $400,000. The cut, if it stands, would mean no municipal funding for 58 school programs. While no programs in Ward 21 have been put on the chopping block, this amounts to a major blow to our needier children. 17

CHILD CARE SUBSIDY Cut rent subsidy to child care operators in School Board sites. This means that full fee families will pay an increase of approximately $2 per day (a 5 to 8% increase per year) to cover rent. Also, three child care centres are to be cut: Bellevue in Ward 20; Greenholme in Ward 1; St. Mark’s in Ward 14. NOTE: The waiting list for a child care subsidy is over 20,000 families! 18

Other Examples of Cuts: Homeless Shelters - propose closure of Downsview Dells, Birchmount Shelter & Bellwoods Shelter; Public Health - 10% cut to AIDS & sexual health funding; Sidewalk snow clearing in suburban neighbourhoods; Toronto Environment Office – cut all community animators (LiveGreen Toronto). Projected cuts in will see permanent closure of the office. Heritage Museums – due to heavy public pressure, the four museums slated to close will remain open, however, the City funding of $900,000 is still in place. 19

PUBLIC INPUT TO DATE 22,000 s & letters to protect the arts; 15,000 s to build Transit City; 20,000 letters to build Transit City; 50,000 s to oppose library closures and cuts to hours; 3,000 s to keep Heritage Museums open; 1,500 deputations to Budget, Executive and Standing Committees. In summary, the community is overwhelmingly opposed to the cuts! 20

OPTIONS TO SAVE SERVICES: 1)Increase property taxes by 3-5%; 2)Use some of the $139 million surplus from

ACTION PLAN: How to Get Involved Thanks to everyone for coming tonight. It is important that we stay engaged as a City to oppose this damaging Budget. I urge you to continue the conversation with your friends, family and colleagues all over the City. Please take the time to sign petitions opposing unnecessary cuts at: For more helpful links, visit: 22

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