City Council has voted 25 to 15 to challenge the legality of Ontario Government Bill 5. That’s legislation which would cut Toronto Council from 47 seats to 25. But the City Clerk told Council Monday that while there is enough time to organize and run a 25-ward election, there will not be enough time to organize an election with 47 wards if the court finds in the City’s favour. She has been instructed to create a contingency plan in the event of a City victory in court. In all of this, the City is challenging the authority of the province, a signatory to the British North America Act, with statutory authority in all things municipal. Still, Councillors talk about “our democracy” and “meddling” by the Province. Bill 5 may be annoying. It may be wrong. But the City of Toronto cannot be called none of Ontario’s business. City News report Jennifer Pagliaro Twitter
STORM WATER TAX
City Executive Committee has shelved further debate on a so-called Storm Water Fee. This concept arises in the context of too much rain, it seems. But there appears to be an absence of ideas at City Hall on how to deal with too much rain. Some Councillors decided a tax on property owners as needed was a way to “inspire” them to think of ways to deal with the rain.
