Mayor Olivia Chow's Toronto

[Northern Light]

You are seldom confused .... I posted it because it is listed in today's City PR on how the Budget was 'concocted' It says:

News Release

January 10, 2024

Proposed 2024 City of Toronto Budget protects core services and invests in transit, shelters and community safety

Today, the City of Toronto launched the 2024 Budget process with a staff prepared budget that protects core services and makes investments in transit, shelters and community safety. The budget aims to set the City up to achieve financial stability and sustainability through a new multi-year approach.

The Budget Committee was presented with the staff prepared rate and tax-supported operating budget of $17 billion and the 2024-2033 capital budget and plan of $49.8 billion for consideration, review and recommendation.

The 2024 staff prepared budget reflects feedback from the November 2023 Budget Consultations and furthers the actions of the City’s Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) (https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.EX7.1&data=05|02|david.crawford@mcgill.ca|fd58b029c6d94d458dce08dc11ead060|cd31967152e74a68afa9fcf8f89f09ea|0|0|638404949097788576|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|3000|||&sdata=YSVt8IJrGRQmU+FtxsTHajYa8X3ze0ERor7u/sWjuE8=&reserved=0) and the Ontario-Toronto New Deal Agreement. (https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2023.CC13.2&data=05|02|david.crawford@mcgill.ca|fd58b029c6d94d458dce08dc11ead060|cd31967152e74a68afa9fcf8f89f09ea|0|0|638404949097788576|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|3000|||&sdata=rkE/Fp35VFOEvlOAEElDZSfGhSDSeVWrClX/Woli5tw=&reserved=0).

I see where you got it now; though it does read as confusing in the context of this thread, because several of those Rec's have now been addressed. See The Admiral's comment above.

 

[concrete_and_light]

The Star's first budget piece is up; it adds little substance except to say that Councillor Burnside has decided to align w/Cllr. Holyday as a contrarian:

View attachment 532371

From: https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/to...cle_a093c35e-af2d-11ee-a7b7-2706a05486c7.html

Maybe the province and federal government should be running these things like long term care homes and shelter spaces, but what is Burnside advocating for here? That we immediately close shelters and long term care homes and throw people out on the street in order to bridge the financial gap in this next budget?

Please he should feel free to advocate to the provincial government, the federal government, and voters to have the province and federal government take on these responsibilities if he wants, that's all cool, but what is he practically suggesting here? The discussion is the immediate budget requirements. Cutting these services for this coming year without a replacement and putting people out on the street is not really an option.

I'd be interested to see someone ask him specifically what he is suggesting we do from a practical perspective.

 

[Northern Light]

Maybe the province and federal government should be running these things like long term care homes and shelter spaces.....

Just for clarity, the province does pay the City a per diem fee for LTC residents and for shelter users.

The challenge is the difference between the fee and what it actually costs the City to build/operate said facilities.

The main difference is actually on the capital side, because the way the funding model works, the cost of construction is recovered over time through the per diem.

But the province uses a standardize rate across Ontario that does not reflect the cost of land/construction in the City.

 

[EddyMCD]

Zero chance the Feds pony up that $250 mil. Chow should just bus all the refugees claimants to Ottawa, let them camp out on Parliament Hill.

 

[Northern Light]

A couple of budget notes from The Star, here:

Key take-aways from the 2024 Toronto budget plan

The highlights from the proposed 2024 Toronto budget released Wednesday.

www.thestar.com

Comment: I too am underwhelmed. The value for money on TPL is exceptionally good and for very low sums of money one can achieve a lot in service increase, this can and should be more ambitious.

AND

Comment: The suburbanites on Council will not like this at all; I will bemusedly call it the new TTC ridership growth strategy, if you can't be bothered shoveling your own driveway at the road, then you'll have to take TTC.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Zero chance the Feds pony up that $250 mil. Chow should just bus all the refugees claimants to Ottawa, let them camp out on Parliament Hill.

They'd just jam up Ottawa's shelters once the RCMP pushed them off the Hill property, same as they do here. It's not the City of Ottawa's fault anymore than it's Toronto's.

Here's what should happen: refugee arrives at Pearson or wherever. CBSA turns them over to IRCC at the point of entry, where any refugee claimants deemed releasable are sent to one of two channels. First, those who have family or friends in Canada that will contractually promise to house and feed them, are physically passed onto these people and sent on their way to await their IRCC hearing. Second, those who have no one to house or feed them are assigned to a government refugee centre to await their hearing. THAT's what we're missing, family friendly refugee centres to house the thousands of claimants arriving each year. We could build these on Federal land across the country, sometimes using underutilized buildings or something new. And no, I'm not suggesting an Australian-like detention centre on Baffin Island, but a means to keep people sheltered and safe while they await their application.

 

[Richard White]

They'd just jam up Ottawa's shelters once the RCMP pushed them off the Hill property, same as they do here. It's not the City of Ottawa's fault anymore than it's Toronto's.

Here's what should happen: refugee arrives at Pearson or wherever. CBSA turns them over to IRCC at the point of entry, where any refugee claimants deemed releasable are sent to one of two channels. First, those who have family or friends in Canada that will contractually promise to house and feed them, are physically passed onto these people and sent on their way to await their IRCC hearing. Second, those who have no one to house or feed them are assigned to a government refugee centre to await their hearing. THAT's what we're missing, family friendly refugee centres to house the thousands of claimants arriving each year. We could build these on Federal land across the country, sometimes using underutilized buildings or something new. And no, I'm not suggesting an Australian-like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_immigration_detention_facilities but a means to keep people sheltered and safe while they await their application.

When my Grandmother was a Hungarian refugee in 1958 she was sent to a camp in Austria where she was processed and housed until she could be sent to the Bonegilla Migrant Facility in Wodonga, Australia.

Something similar needs to be done here where they house refugees and pair them with employers. They would be allowed to stay in the country *IF* they find permanent work.

 

[picard102]

When my Grandmother was a Hungarian refugee in 1958 she was sent to a camp in Austria where she was processed and housed until she could be sent to the Bonegilla Migrant Facility in Wodonga, Australia.

Something similar needs to be done here where they house refugees and pair them with employers. They would be allowed to stay in the country *IF* they find permanent work.

Where would you send a refugee if they couldn't find work?

 

[Richard White]

Where would you send a refugee if they couldn't find work?

In their case, if they could not find work they had to go elsewhere and were not permitted to stay in Australia.

It was done this way to prevent people from getting a free ride paid for by the Government.

 

[Northern Light]

In their case, if they could not find work they had to go elsewhere and were not permitted to stay in Australia.

Right, but, if you're a refugee (legitimately); then you have nowhere to go back to, presumably.

And you have no more right to enter any other country than the one to which you first applied.

So you would just set people adrift in the ocean?

 

[Richard White]

Right, but, if you're a refugee (legitimately); then you have nowhere to go back to, presumably.

And you have no more right to enter any other country than the one to which you first applied.

So you would just set people adrift in the ocean?

I am not sure how it worked exactly but it was part of the Australian Immigration Program and this was how my Grandmother explained it to me. She explained that upon arrival in Australia they had to find stable employment to remain in Australia and services were provided to assist with that.

I can only guess they were sent back to Austria or deported elsewhere. Mind you this was 1958 and it was alot different back then.

 

[afransen]

Well, some of the weapons being used against Palestinians were bought from Canada. But I digress...

Are the protestors asking for an arms export embargo? Not that I have heard.

 

[DSC]

Just for clarity, the province does pay the City a per diem fee for LTC residents and for shelter users.

The challenge is the difference between the fee and what it actually costs the City to build/operate said facilities.

The main difference is actually on the capital side, because the way the funding model works, the cost of construction is recovered over time through the per diem.

But the province uses a standardize rate across Ontario that does not reflect the cost of land/construction in the City.

Is the rate different for municipal vs private vs non-profit LTC homes?? We all know from covid stats that the City's LTC homes stacked up very well so are the City's cost for 'extras' that made this possible.? (Not that I think extras like having sufficient staff are really extra!)

 

[Northern Light]

The Detailed (for the public) City budget is now up. I have begun my reading.

For those interested in the Waterfront Capital Budget, I have posted that, here:

Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

Commissioners street bridge in lights January 10th 2024 Rumour has it a small plug has been pulled to star filling in the new river 🤔

urbantoronto.ca

 

[Northern Light]

Is the rate different for municipal vs private vs non-profit LTC homes?? We all know from covid stats that the City's LTC homes stacked up very well so are the City's cost for 'extras' that made this possible.? (Not that I think extras like having sufficient staff are really extra!)

Not sure.