A Toronto MP has criticized the City of Toronto’s proposed 6 per cent property tax increase on top of the original 10.5 per cent proposal. City officials want to raise the tax unless the federal government provides additional funding to help refugees and asylum-seekers.
The proposed budget for 2024 was released last week. This is the first budget under Mayor Olivia Chow. Wealth tax has been increased by 9 percent in the budget. Besides, the City Building Fund has been increased by 1.5 percent.
Budget chief Shelley Carroll said that if the federal government does not provide additional funding to support refugees and asylum seekers in the next few weeks, the budget will include an additional 6 percent federal impacts levy and send it to the council.
Etobicoke Center MP Evan Baker said Ottawa has given the city hundreds of millions of dollars in aid. But they never think it is enough. We are next to Toronto. I think we should be next to other cities in the country. But other cities are not treating us like this.
In the spring, the federal government pledged $97 million to Toronto as part of its housing assistance for refugees and asylum-seekers. Ottawa’s pledge of help comes after large numbers of asylum-seekers spend the night on Toronto’s streets.
Baker said, within a day or two they said, no, that’s not really the right number. They need more. Now they say, 25 million dollars. May want more in future. Sounds like a money grab trick to me.
