2024 federal budget taxes the really rich and makes significant strides on affordable housing, while falling far short on the Canada Disability Benefit

Strong community advocacy has paid off with important new investments in this year’s federal budget. Released on April 16, the 2024 federal budget raises significant revenue for public services by increasing taxes on the top 0.13 per cent of income earners, makes substantial new investments in affordable housing, and funds the creation of new child care centres. The budget advances the federal government’s recently released Housing Plan through several initiatives, including a $1.5 billion Canada Rental Protection Fund, Public Lands for Homes Plan, Rapid Housing funding stream, Canadian Renters’ Bill of Rights, and more. While offering meaningful improvements, the federal budget falls short on key items recommended by SPT and other community groups. The budget fails to provide a funding increase for the Canada Housing Benefit, matching funds required to purchase Toronto subway cars, and full funding for the Canada Disability Benefit.

Join SPT and Lindsay Kretschmer, Executive Director of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council (TASSC) for a conversation about Indigenous prosperity and what eliminating poverty means for Indigenous community-based organizations in Toronto. Kenn Richard, consultant and author of the forthcoming Toronto Aboriginal Research Project 10-Year Legacy Review and Indigenous Prosperity Action Plan, speaks about the systemic change, investments, and long-term solutions needed for Indigenous people in Toronto to thrive and how non-Indigenous community-based organizations can partner and act as allies in this work.

Tackling the root causes of poverty is complex. Solutions involve multiple approaches and an "all hands-on deck" spirit, including all levels of government. Municipalities like the City of Toronto play a critical role. The City of Toronto will launch its Third Term Action Plan on the City’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) this spring. Join SPT for a conversation with Bryony Halpin, the City’s new Manager, Poverty Reduction, to hear about her approach to collaboration, collective impact, and human rights in the implementation of the next (PRS) Action Plan. Bryony is joined by Orpah Cundangan from the Tamarack Institute’s Communities Ending Poverty, a powerful collective impact movement comprised of 330 municipalities (including the City of Toronto) and represented by eighty regional roundtables.

SPT is currently creating a new communications plan, and we’re committed to ensuring that the voices of all of our supporters and community partners are heard in our communications work.

On the eve of final votes on the 2024 City Budget, SPT and 64 other community-based organizations and grassroots groups sent a joint letter to Toronto City Council, calling on all members to support the Mayor’s budget, including a property tax rate increase of 9.5% and no cuts to any of the service enhancements.

The 2024 federal budget presents an important opportunity for the Government of Canada to make substantial progress on its poverty reduction goals. Action in this area is desperately needed, much overdue, and depends on meaningful investments.

Across Canada, and in Toronto in particular, too many residents are struggling to make ends meet and afford the cost of living. Even though Toronto is one of the wealthiest cities in the world and contributes 21 percent towards Canada’s GDP, more than 1 in 5 residents live in poverty.¹ The Government of Canada must do its part to ensure that Toronto is a place of prosperity and belonging.

Social Planning Toronto calls on the Government of Ontario to make bold investments in the 2024 Budget to reduce the prevalence of poverty and its effects. To ensure that Ontario is a place where everyone can thrive and prosper, we recommend that the 2024 Budget focus on five key areas: improving social assistance, prioritizing decent work, investing in affordable housing and child care, and supporting municipal finances.

"I made a promise to you that I wouldn't touch the Greenbelt. I broke that promise and for that, I’m very, very sorry. It was a mistake to open the Greenbelt. It was a mistake to establish a process that moved too fast. This process, it left too much room for some people to benefit over others. It caused people to question our motives. As a first step to earn back your trust, I’ll be reversing the changes we made and won’t make any changes to the Greenbelt in the future."

— Ontario Premier Doug Ford, September 21, 2023

As Toronto voters head to the polls on Monday, June 26, they will need to consider more than a candidate’s vision for Toronto. The City is facing major financial challenges with troubling implications for residents. Our next Mayor must have a credible plan to deliver on that vision and address the City’s fiscal challenges.

Help us make an impact. Social Planning Toronto (SPT) and Dr. Naomi Lightman of Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are conducting a research study entitled “Caring about Care Workers: The Experience of Immigrant Women PSWs in Toronto’s Home Care Sector in the COVID-19 Context.“ The study examines the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihoods, health, and well-being of immigrant women who work as PSWs in home care. This research recognizes that immigrant women PSWs are vulnerable due to the front-line nature of their employment. We are seeking 25 immigrant women PSWs to participate in this study.