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City Hall News

City Hall News provides information on the Toronto Service Review and City Budget 2012 process. It will also highlight opportunities for civic engagement in this important process. The latest highlights will also be posted under What's New on the Home page.

For information on City policy on "political activities" please see below.

Many Community Services saved in the City's 2012 Budget!
(as of Jan 13, 2012)

On January 17th, in a surprise action, Councillor Josh Colle's early omnibus motion passed with a slight margin of 23-21 and saved the Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP) - including the AIDS and Drug Investment Program funding, along with many other important community services. More motions followed from more Councillors that were passed that also support communities.

Huge congratulations to everyone for amazing efforts to educate City Councillors around Mayor Ford's proposed budget cuts and the potential impact on critical community funding and services to marginalized communities. The community response in this effort has been quite incredible with various networks and coalitions including: Social Planning Toronto/Commitment2Community, AIDS ACTION NOW!, Toronto Stop the Cuts!, Proud of Toronto, the Toronto Strategy Work Group (of HIV and LGBTQ agencies) and from individuals and Members Groups, who are part of the Toronto HIV/AIDS Network and others. As more residents understood what was at stake, more made their voices heard.

Thanks to the many community members and organizations who got involved and contributed to this collective victory. Our thanks to the City Councillors who listened, understood the risk to the residents of Toronto and supported community services in the 2012 Budget process. We all need to maintain and build on the Councillor education about issues that deeply affect Toronto's diverse communities.

Unfortunately, our communities will feel an impact from some service cuts that are still being made. However, critical HIV/AIDS and related programs have been saved this year and we can hope that some councilors have been moved and educated about the value and impact of community programs and services in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and other marginalized communities.

As THN Co-Chairs, thanks to all once again!

Keith and Murray

Keith Hambly (Fife House) and Murray Jose (PWA)
Toronto HIV/AIDS Network (THN)

$80 million service cuts are still on the table at City Council

Final debates and votes Tuesday January 17-Thursday January 19
(as of Jan 13, 2012)

You can help!

  1. Petition message from Commitment2Community: "Please take action on the 2012 City Budget now - sign this petition urging your city councillor not to cut funding to the Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP). Signing this petition is quick, easy and effective. Your message will go to directly to your city councillor and you can customize it with your own comments or concerns. After you have signed, be sure to share the link widely over email, blogs, Facebook or Twitter."
  2. Rally: Show your concerns about cuts to city services and good jobs on Tuesday January 17th by attending the Rally for Toronto at 5:30 pm at City Hall.

THN's Jan 11 letter to Toronto City CouncilCommunity Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP) includes funding for AIDS Prevention and Drug Prevention programs - a 10% cut is still on the table to Council despite the fact that Toronto Public Health has actually found the money to keep the programs through cost-sharing with the Province. This cost-saving has been ignored in the City budget process.

Cuts to many other community programs important to individuals, our communities and neighbourhoods across the City are also on the chopping block. Cuts to community services that directly impact residents living with poverty, disabilities, mental health problems, and homelessness; residents from the City’s lesbian, gay and trans communities, newcomers and ethno-racial communities. Children, youth and seniors will bear a large share of the service cuts.

With changes in the projected revenues for 2011, there is more money available that Council can choose to use to stop the cuts to community services.

A few programs have been saved from the 10% cuts in the last few days including the school Student Nutrition program, and Arts funding which is all good. However, the Mayor, Budget and Executive Committees have said NO to using any of the $154 million surplus to save the approximately $80 million worth of service cuts still on the chopping block.

There are a growing number of Councillors who do not want to increase the burdens faced by many individuals and communities in Toronto. They need our support. Please act now!

Thanks - Please let Joan Anderson know if you have any questions.

City Proposed Budget - Cuts to Community Services for 2012!! (as of Nov 30, 2011)

Toronto Public Health community funding for AIDS prevention and Drug prevention/harm reduction program is currently funded 100% by the City under the larger Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP):

Proposed cuts for 2012!

  • AIDS Prevention and Community Investment Program
    "Funded 42 AIDS prevention projects. A 10% reduction in (program funding) will mean termination of the Global AIDS initiative and 2 fewer projects being funded. Any further reductions in citywide HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives may contribute to increased in HIV transmission and other sexually transmitted infections."
  • Drug Prevention Community Investment Program Investment Funding
    "Funded 38 community drug prevention projects. A 10% reduction in (program funding) will mean that three fewer projects will be funded and approximately 7,000 fewer youth at risk of substance misuse will be reached."

(Information above from "City Budget 2012 - Toronto Public Health- Operating Budget Analyst Notes" Page 17. bold added)

Cuts to the broader Community Partnership and Investment Program and other City programs will cut services for vulnerable communities and individuals. Services targeted for cuts would impact children, youth, seniors, people who are homeless, and people with disabilities. A few examples are:

  • 58 student nutrition programs in low income school communities serving 14,049 children/youth.
  • Closure of 3 specialty Shelters: Birchmount (for men 55+), Bellwoods (for women 50+) and Downsview Dells (helps men receiving addiction treatment nearby)
  • Elimination of the Hardship Fund in June 2012 (special health supply needs for people on low income but not eligible for OW/ODSP)

Final decisions are NOT made - City Council debates and votes January 17-19. Information on how to have our say. City businesses and residents can make deputations Dec 7-8 to the Budget Committee: register before December 6th at 4pm; email buc@toronto.ca or call 416-392-7340. We can let our City Councillor know how valuable City-funded community services are.

More information will be posted here in the coming days and through the budget process December-January. You can also connect with Joan Anderson, THN Project Manager.

For more detailed Information on the Proposed Budget and impact:

City "Policy on Political Activities"

The City recognizes the importance of civic engagement and encourages civic engagement.

THN has received questions about limitations for not-for-profits in educating City Council (Councillor visits, e-mails, deputations) about the importance of City services, especially for organizations which depend upon City funding for some of their important work in the community.

The City has a Policy on Political Activities that outlines activities that are "restricted" and "unrestricted activity" within any City grant-funded activity. The policy is consistent with Canada Revenue Agency regulations for registered charities and applies to political activity related to municipal, provincial and federal elections.

As a general rule, for City grants funding, or any government funding and for charitable organizations, the key is to be non-partisan. In the language of the City policy: "A grant recipient may not use funds provided by the City to oppose or endorse a named candidate, party, or elected official." In general, a protective and strategic approach is to focus criticisms or agreement on the policies or proposed policies of elected officials. It's about what they have proposed or are doing, not who they are, not about preferences.

Information on how to make deputations to committees of Council is found on the City web-site

Any questions? Please contact THN: either Joan or Michael

 

Background to the City 2012 Budget Process

City Council 2012 Budget process and timeline was set at its April 2011 meeting. This timeline document (also available on the city's website: see "consultation plan" link in left column), provides more details.

The City provides a very helpful factsheet on the 2011 budget, also available on the City's website . The chart on the third page: "How your tax Dollar Works for You" is excellent for seeing where the money for City services goes. Note the service area: "Community Partnership & Investment Program (CPIP)". CPIP includes funding for community organizations to deliver services. More information is available below.

City community investment funding at risk of cuts

City of Toronto Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP): "helps the City of Toronto to move closer to its social, economic and cultural goals, and achieve its goals for its residents. This is done by funding community organizations that are often more efficient, have lower operating costs, and are closer to the people they serve." (information from City web-site)

CPIP includes:

More Information is available on the City web-site on all funding programs under the Community Partnership and Investment Program (CPIP)

Commitment2Community campaign provides information on the importance of CPIP to residents of Toronto.