Toronto budget alternatives

With all the news around the City of Toronto's upcoming budget and looming upcoming cuts, here is an alternative for Torontonians to consider.

In a report released this week by the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance titled: Breaking Boundaries: Time to Think and Act Like a Region, the group recommends the opposite to vast service cuts which will harm Toronto's neighbourhoods. In fact, it recommends a proactive approach to revitalizing and supporting communities by investing money in Toronto neighbourhoods.

Regarding the issue of neighbourhood, the report reads: "The Greater Toronto region is celebrated for its many vibrant and unique neighbourhoods, but growing concentrations of poverty threaten the health and vitality of many -- in 2006, 46% of low-income families lived in higher poverty neighbourhoods in Toronto, up from 18% two decades earlier."

With suggestions such as:
1) Create more opportunities and places for residents to meet and engage in community development.
2) Develop innovative opportunities for private sector investment in under-invested neighbourhoods.
3) Develop and maintain a comprehensive neighbourhood revitalization and community-building best-practice case book and a virtual community research hub to facilitate knowledge exchange.

The Ontario Coalition of Poverty has its own perspective regarding Ford Nation.

"First he tells us we can't speak ... and now when to speak and for how long?? Wait a minute!... he's supposed to listen to the people... NOT the other way around! There have been many councillors who have walked out of the recent executive meetings due to his anti-democratic processes."

"It's interesting Ford has all the sudden realized he should listen. Could it be that he is now concerned about the multitudes alarmed by the possible irreparable damage to the city's rich fabric? Toronto is a living breathing organism, NOT a business to be frugal with!"

Regarding the Toronto budget consultation process, "KPMG is a private consulting firm that was hired by the City of Toronto and paid millions of dollars to do a completely subjective review of all of Toronto's public services. KPMG is currently releasing their 8 final reports detailing service by service what they think could be cut, changed or contracted out."

Another resource to consider is Toronto Stop the Cuts. You can find them on Facebook here.

The Toronto Stop the Cuts Network is a group of community organizations and concerned individuals who are fighting to stop cuts to our city services.

"As you may have heard, the Mayor wants to cut $800 million from the City's budget. Everything from your local community centre and library, to shelters and health services are currently under review. Unless we act now, many of the valuable services that our communities depend on may be shut down over the next few months."

Get involved in organizing in your neighborhood.
Contact:

Parkdale: nooneisillegal@riseup.net
Downtown East (Dundas-Sherbourne): ocap@tao.ca
Jane and Finch: janefinchactionagainstpoverty@gmail.com
Scarborough: sawro.office@gmail.com
Riverdale and Leslieville: tostopthecuts@gmail.com
Davenport-Perth: tostopthecuts@gmail.com

Origin
Source: Rabble.ca