Some City of Toronto budget funds allocated for community safety, transit and shelter beds.
The city has decided to allocate some $152 million of the proposed 2024 budget for community safety, transit and more shelter beds.
The budget proposes a 10.5 per cent property tax hike, with another 6 per cent pending, if the federal government does not pick up the cost of refugee shelter beds.
Some $39 million of the allocated sum will be used to hire 52 new Toronto Fire Services firefighters and 62 Toronto Paramedic Services paramedics.
City Council are still having public hearings on the budget process.
Funds are also budgeted to expand the Toronto Community Crisis Service citywide, and hire additional 911 call takers and dispatchers.
There were some funds allocated to Toronto Police Service despite appeals by the Chief Myron Demkiw and the Police Association to the budget committee.
Meaghan Gray, of the Toronto Police Association, the City has put forward its budget proposal which includes a budget increase of just under $8 million for police, almost $13 million shy of what the Service requested and the Board approved.
Policing is one of the largest expenses for the city at $1.17 billion yearly.
Toronto police remains one of the largest line items in city staff’s proposed net budget, coming in at just over $1.17 billion.
Mayor Olivia Chow said there will be millions of funding available to police.
Some $82 million is being allocated for housing and shelter, which will include 450 dedicated shelter beds for refugee claimant response, a winter warming response plan, multi-tenant housing program, community housing agency support and a homeless prevention program.
The City also plans to spend $30 million on transit programs, which will include passenger safety and well-being, high visibility staff presence and incident management.
Funds will also go to TTC people strategy, including trauma assistance and mental health training.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw makes a pitch to the budget committee for more funding for the force.
Funding will also go to a Toronto Public Library open hour implementation plan, development of emission performance standards and home energy ratings and disclosures.
The city said more than 10,000 survey responses were received and 11,600 ideas shared by residents during the city-wide hearings to give input into the 2024 budget.
“You told us that housing and shelter, transit, and making Toronto safer were your top priorities for Toronto in 2024,” City officials said in a release.
There’s still time to share your feedback on the 2024 Budget to members of the Budget Committee, if you want. Just send an email to buc@toronto.ca