City of Toronto committees asking mayor to rethink 2.6 per cent budget cuts

Five advisory committees gathered at city hall to hand deliver letters to Mayor John Tory’s office asking him to rethink his request for a 2.6 per cent budget cut for all city departments.

“These cuts will significantly affect those Torontonians who are most marginalized and most affected by poverty,” said Rachel Gray, with the Toronto Food Policy Council, one of the advisory committees that was part of today’s event.

The five groups voicing concerns were the following:

• Toronto Seniors’ Forum
• Toronto Youth Cabinet
• Toronto Food Policy Council
• Disability, Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee
• Toronto Board of Health

“These letters confirm that these cuts will have very significant impacts on the services we all rely on,” said Sean Meagher, executive director of Social Planning Toronto. “It’s time to reassess the budget plan.”

READ MORE: Toronto maintains status as ‘child poverty capital’ of Canada: study

“What ties these cuts together is their impact on our most vulnerable residents,” said Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam, chair of the Disability, Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

“A 2.6 per cent budget cut will only serve to create new barriers by denying our most vulnerable residents the critical city services they need.”

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Toronto Public Health says meeting the mayor’s request for a leaner operating budget would eliminate 60 full-time equivalent positions.

“Such a reduction would have negative consequences on the health of Torontonians,” said Coun. Joe Mihevc, chair of the board.

Millennials would also feel the hit of austerity according to the Toronto Youth Cabinet. “Toronto’s youth heavily rely on the services provided by the Toronto Public Library, Toronto Public Health, the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, and the Toronto Transit Commission,” said Tom Gleason, the organization’s executive director.

“This budget cut would make it harder for youth, and other marginalized communities to break the cycle of poverty.”

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Toronto City Council will begin budget deliberations in December.