An opinion piece from the Toronto Star, written by Martin Connell, asks, “What could $1.1 billion do for Toronto?”
The Conference Board of Canada says that Toronto needs to spend this much, above the current budget, in order to start ‘getting this city back on track’. Connell argues that this isn’t a huge sum of money, compared to the enormous benefits the city would experience. Read the article.
This report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives details problems with BC’s budgeting methodolgy, in particular the problems associated with huge “surprise” surpluses. The report contains a useful table showing healthcare, social services, and education expenditures as a percentage of GDP. Check it out here.
A 2 minute video clip from CBC News about a great initiative in Vancouver – an affordable housing project for artists over age 55. View the clip here.
A Centre for Civic Governance poll reveals “71.1 per cent of Ontarians think provincial and federal governments should provide local politicians with “more regular and more flexible sources of funds.”
Read the article in the Toronto Star here.