City of Toronto pondering a 'rain tax'
Toronto residents face a potential tax hike as Mayor Olivia Chow is contemplating a surcharge on precipitation.
Denoted as a wastewater usage tax, the City of Toronto is proposing a tax on the amount of rainwater that hits residential driveways and roofs.Â
A Toronto Sun poll asked viewers, âAre Torontoâs politicians out of touch with reality by proposing a rain tax?â Less than one in twenty from more than 7,000 votes cast said âNo.â
The proposed tax remains in the consultation phase, reported The Counter Signal. Public consultations run until April 30th, including open virtual meetings on April 8th, 11th, and 16th, as well as an online survey.
If approved, the city would charge residents based on their property size to account for the environmental degradation of runoff that worsens during torrential storms.Â
The Rain Tax would appear as a separate line on utility bills.
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âFor properties less than one hectare in size, there would be a tiered, flat rate stormwater charge based on the average hard surface area of all properties in each tier,â reads a statement from city officials.
âProperty tiers are determined by property size ranges for different property types â residential, multi-residential and condominium, and industrial commercial and institutional,â it adds.
According to in-house research by Environment and Climate Change Canada, most young people feel visceral anxiety about âclimate change.â
Nearly one in five (18%) Canadians nationwide reported being âextremely worriedâ with 31% âvery worried,â when asked: âHow worried do you currently feel about the issue of climate change?âÂ
The remaining 51% are either âmoderately worriedâ or ânot worried at all,â according to the report Nature Based Climate Solutions And Cleaner Environment.
Blacklockâs Reporter said at least one in five residents in Ontario (21%) are âextremely worriedâ about âclimate change.â
Young adults, in a 2020 study by Public Safety Canada, said âclimate changeâ posed a greater threat than drugs, guns, or gang violence.
