[Northern Light]

Ok. I'm going to chunk out the City budget in managable bits to the best of my ability.

For larger departments/agencies, there is no way to cover everything that's listed over voluminous pages.

For each item I'm covering, I will add a link so anyone can go directly to the Docs to see what's going on.

Unless otherwise noted, I will list Capital and Operating separately.

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Further note, because of some of these posts will be lengthy, they may be subject to me doing edits for the first day or so adding additional materials.

I will begin in the next post, with Parks, Forestry and Recreation.

* I'll insert a note here, if anyone wants to request that I look for any specific project, I will endeavour to do so, and tag you when I post the info.

 

[DSCToronto]

At that's of course 6.9% on top of the 9.5% increase in 2024. At this rate, by the time Chow's first four year term is up in October 2026, Toronto's property taxes will be over 20% higher from when she was elected in June 2023. I'm okay with that, if we're seeing real benefits and not just police budget increases.

I suggest that the cost of the (very useful) Traffic Agents that the City has hired (and more to come) should be charged to (or deducted from) the Police Budget as they are only necessary because the police refuse to enforce most traffic laws..

 

[Northern Light]

Ok.....where to start?

I think I'll try to take this clumps and update through the evening.

Lets Start with Parks (ie. not community centres, the ferry terminal etc.)

General:

Parks Washrooms

3 additional washrooms to be year-round this year, 156 total, the target is 162 for 2026 or +6 from year end 2025.

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Specific projects of interest to UT'ers:

For @DSCToronto

David Crombie Park:

Read first year as 2025 (from left)

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Market Lane Park - Remediation is budgeted for this year.

Construction, this year and next:

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I don't know who wants to claim the Corktown Off-Leash area............but I have to see the render for this baby:

Seriously? Base is mulch, a fence, 2 benches, and a doggy drinking fountain. I can get that done for under 200k no problem.......... So how did we get to a nearly 1.8M budget here? I mean...lighting ok.....maybe add 200k.....

Now what? Is there a Doggy waterpark? A mister? A playground? A fitness set? LOL

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Mouth of the Creek Park is substantially deferred.........again....:

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We have a park for @AHK

And

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This is @interchange42 's neck of the woods:

^^^ 2027/2028

Grand Avenue Park Expansion also has money, drips and drabs flowing over the next several years:

I love how there are funds for phases 1 and 3 but not 2.....

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There is some money for fixing College Park, but not til 2026:

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Lots more, but I'll leave it there for now and come back w/Community Centre Info, and operating budget later.

 

[Admiral Beez]

I do worry a little what the Chow-era compound tax increase will be if she win another two four term. In 2030, when I retire, will we be paying 75% more than we were under Mayor Tory in 2023?

 

[generalcanada]

I do worry a little what the Chow-era compound tax increase will be if she win another two four-year terms. In 2033, will we be paying 50-75% more than we were under Mayor Tory in 2023?

Not sure if anyone else saw, but the city is predicting 3-4% increases next 2 years, it's in the budget docs
Also theres a bunch of isolationism here.
Other cities like Durham are seeing 10% increases this year.

People like to just hate on toronto thats all

 

[afransen]

I do worry a little what the Chow-era compound tax increase will be if she win another two four term. In 2030, when I retire, will we be paying 75% more than we were under Mayor Tory in 2023?

I'm kind of okay with it. If it is proportional to a land tax, property tax only serves to compress land value speculation and make up-front purchase price of homes more affordable.

 

[Northern Light]

Ok, major Recreation Centre Investments.

Once again, far left column is 2025 (this year), with columns to the right being 2026 then 2027 etc. Farthest right is the cumulative total:

 

[Admiral Beez]

People like to just hate on toronto thats all

That’s all? Way to dismiss everyone’s thoughts on the matter.

 

[Northern Light]

Notable operating budget investments for Parks and Rec:

I'm quite supportive of the first few related to expanded outdoor swimming pool hours in July and August, not specified, but I assume this would be late evenings.

I'm all for more trees, but item 12 I would nix, just because someone made up the term Shade Inequity, and pretended that greening the middle of a round about would help w/inequity............sigh.

Number 11 also seems like a problem to me, 14 more staff to 'service and support' encampments. We already have outreach staff, the problem is not the number of staff, its what they have to offer, and people who turn the help down.

Better to reallocate the funds to..........I don't know.......... housing people?

Edit to add, on that last point, $1,343,000 would house 55 people, in apartments, at $2,000 per month each. Just sayin.

 

[Coolibop]

Notable operating budget investments for Parks and Rec:

View attachment 625505

Better to reallocate the funds to..........I don't know.......... housing people?

Speaking of shade, that comment is full of it!

 

[Northern Light]

Speaking of shade, that comment is full of it!

View attachment 625528

I will always throw shade on anything that pretends lip service, empire building and nest feathering are actual substantive obligations of government, while leaving the real substantive obligations of the state severely under funded.

 

[Mr.Tang]

She is writing her own re-election slogan: "Olivia Chow - Doing less with more..." I am frustrated as I don't realistically feel like the city will run better at the end of next year than it did now. Its an almost 7% increase on top of a 9.5% increase last year - that compounds to a 17% increase in two years.

 

[generalcanada]

That’s all? Way to dismiss everyone’s thoughts on the matter.

the fact that "downtown elites" is still a term used proves me right

 

[DSCToronto]

She is writing her own re-election slogan: "Olivia Chow - Doing less with more..." I am frustrated as I don't realistically feel like the city will run better at the end of next year than it did now. Its an almost 7% increase on top of a 9.5% increase last year - that compounds to a 17% increase in two years.

From my perspective the City is doing better and taxes in Toronto were kept artificially low for far too long. Of course, I think some parts of the budget (the police in particular) are bloated but others (upkeep of parks and buildings and 'small things' like street sweeping) get too little. Overall, I think Chow is a pretty good mayor - certainly FAR better than the sanctimonious Tory or the crazy Ford.

 

[Northern Light]

She is writing her own re-election slogan: "Olivia Chow - Doing less with more..."

Less?

- A drastic increase in Library hours with every branch to be open Sunday.

- A modest expansion of Community Centre hours.

- The largest TTC Service increase in years.

- More police

- Expanded outdoor swim season

- Expanded outdoor pool hours (2 additional hours daily in July/August)

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I' ve been critical of some of the budget choices in here, the Mayor and her team don't get a free pass........... but the idea that we're getting nothing is wholly unreasonable.

I am frustrated as I don't realistically feel like the city will run better at the end of next year than it did now. Its an almost 7% increase on top of a 9.5% increase last year - that compounds to a 17% increase in two years.

Durham Region is 7.5% this year. It was 7.4% last year, for a cumulative total of ~15%

Mississauga is 8.8% this year, it was 4.9% last year for nearly 14%.

I think its important to realize this is not the Mayor delivering increases that are outlandishly high relative to peer Cities/Regions.

Additionally, the City's rate after this increase will be broadly in line with or slightly below the area average.