The Council has put together a quick snapshot of the proposed City of Toronto operating budget in terms of areas which are most likely to impact the community services sector.

You can download it here in PDF format for printing: City of Toronto Operating Budget Highlights

City of Toronto Operating Budget Highlights

The following are the City's recommended budget figures for a select few city programs and services for 2009. The overall net operating budget this year is $3.397 billion- a 2.5% increase from 2008.

Key points

• Affordable Housing Office is responsible for creating transition and permanent affordable housing:
  $1,281 M (2.0% decrease)
• Children's Services is responsible for planning and managing a broad range of child care services which include programs that are cost-shared with the Province such as licensed child care (centre-based and home child care), special needs resourcing to support children with special needs, and support for families and caregivers through the family resource centre programs
  $67,612.8 M (2.0% decrease)
• Long-Term Care & Homes Services provides long-term care services to residents and clients with a focus on the provision of individualized care that respects, supports and enables people to be as independent as possible: $42,311.3 M (1.8% increase)
• Shelter, Support and Housing Administration provides emergency shelter and supports to homeless people and to those at risk of being homeless; administers the social housing; administers the Provincial Consolidated Homelessness Prevention Program and the Federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy Program; and ensures the City is prepared to shelter and care for individuals and families in times of declared and non-declared emergencies: $266,272.4 M (4.9% increase). Of this, $197,874 M will be directed towards social housing.
  
  • Enhancements to Streets to Homes program
  • Provide interest-free loans to help 1,300 low-income tenants who have received eviction notices because they are behind in their rent.
  • Help 100 households who currently pay market rents in social housing with housing allowances.
  • Offer interest-free loans to 450 households in private housing to cover the last month's rental deposit.
• Toronto Employment & Social Services provides employment services, financial benefits and social supports for residents: $317,843.2 M (15.3% increase).  Of this, $311,391.5 M will be directed towards social assistance.
  
  • Forecasting 100,000 on OW by December (with no change in provincial support or eligibility changes)
  • Local employment service hubs
  • Create a full-service employment resource centre at Metro Hall
  • Set up a hospitality services training program, run by the YMCA, in the old cafeteria at Metro Hall
• Parks, Forestry and Recreation: $246,346.9 M (3.3% increase). Of this $60, 246.7 M will go towards community recreation; $1,071 M will go towards increasing recreation programs and service at various community centres in the city.
• Toronto Public Health's mission is to improve the health of the whole population and reduce health inequalities: $43,417.7 M (1.2% increase)
  
  • Children in Need of Treatment Dental Program extended to 18 years of age
• Toronto Public Library: $162,015.5 M (4.0% increase)
  
  • Expand evening job programs at public libraries to help 6,000 people, including purchasing 35,000 new books from writing a resume to starting a new business.
• Toronto Transit Commission: $302,054.5 M (35.5% increase) & Wheel Trans: $76,342 M (48.7% increase)
  
  • Fares Frozen for 2009
• City Planning through one of its service areas: Development Review, Decision and Implementation; Civic and Community Improvements; and City Building and Policy Development Civic and Community Improvements, seeks to enhance the quality of life for Toronto's diverse communities through the commitment to guiding and managing the City's physical change and growth, and its effects on the social, economic and natural environment within the City: $13,612.8 (0.3% increase)
• Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP) supports Council's social, cultural, recreational and economic goals through the delivery of specific programs; assists communities in drawing upon their own talents and resources to identify needs and develop appropriate programs and services; and encourages residents to engage in civic life and participate in decision-making by supporting a City-wide network of community organizations: $45,332 M (4.8% increase)
  
  • Cost of living increase of ~2% for CPIP-funded projects/programs
  • Youth Gang Prevention Pilot Project
  • $400,000 for student nutrition program
  • $600,000 Community Partnerships Strategy support for engagement
  •  Provide cafeteria service to low-income seniors who live near a city-run long-term care facility, promising a meal with an entrée, vegetables and potato and coffee or tea for under $5
  •  Allow seniors to join adult day programs at three long-term care homes without registration
•  Property tax deferrals or cancellations
  
  •  Increases cancelled at less than $30,000 in household income or an assessed house value of less than $525,000 (20% increase in eligible households)
  •  Increases deferred where household income is less than $50,000 (35% increase in eligible households)