Mitzie Hunter issues safety and affordability action plan for seniors
Property tax relief, free TTC fares, affordable housing, safer roads, protecting renters, food security
Toronto – Mitzie Hunter, mayoral candidate, is issuing her Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors, saying a Toronto that works for everyone must be both safe and affordable for seniors and enhance their quality of life.
Hunter’s Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors includes:
- Seniors ride free on the TTC
- Better TTC service for seniors
- Property tax relief for seniors
- Affordable housing for seniors
- Protecting seniors who rent
- Fixing buildings where seniors live
- Multi-generational housing
- Better library service for seniors
- Safer roads for seniors
- Better public health for seniors
- Protecting seniors from the effects of climate change
- Food security for seniors
- Parks that are senior friendly
- More community events in long-term care facilities
“Making Toronto a place that works for everyone means the city must be safe and affordable for seniors and enhance their quality of life,” says Hunter.
“My Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors will ensure that Toronto is a place where people can grow older and age successfully.”
Here’s how Hunter’s Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniorsworks:
- Seniors ride free on the TTC:Hunter will eliminate all TTC fares for seniors and all users of Wheel-Trans to help our most vulnerable and those living on fixed incomes with the rising cost of living and boost ridership, starting this September. A senior who uses the TTC 5 times per week throughout the year will save almost $1,200 annually. A Senior TTC Pass holder will save $1,537.80 annually.
- Better TTC service for seniors:To improve service Hunter will reverse the almost $53 million in TTC service cuts that reduced service frequency by about 10 per cent, increase Wheel-Trans service to accommodate increases demand and start the subways at 5:30 am.
- Property tax relief for seniors:There are almost 300,000 seniors’ households in Toronto and more than 170,000 -- almost 60 per cent of these households -- own their home. Most seniors who own their home have incomes under $80,000. Under Hunter’s property tax plan, these seniors will be able to defer or eliminate the tax increase entirely saving $216 for an average Toronto home.
- Affordable housing for seniors:Hunter’s proposed Toronto Affordable Housing Corporation (TAHC) would build 108 full communities with community space for library and public health services and childcare, parks, on-site grocery, and retail stores. The nearly 22,700 housing units to be built in phase one will include rental and ownership units ideally suited for seniors looking to downsize or looking to live in vibrant community spaces.
- Protecting seniors who rent:Many seniors live in older rental buildings and often these are at risk of being purchased and converted to less affordable housing forcing seniors into new and often unaffordable housing. To protect against this, Hunter will increase funding by $100 million for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition programto support the purchase, renovation and operation of rental properties by non-profit housing providers, co-ops and land trusts. Seniors on tight fixed-incomes may have difficulty with the rent from time to time.
To assist these households, Hunter will increase eviction prevention servicesby expanding the Eviction Prevention in the Community (EPIC) Program with $3.3 million in new funding.
Hunter will also triple the Rent Bank to $15 million per year so it can provide more short-term loans to households including senior households in need.Seniors will also be better protected from illegal rent increases and fraudulent evictions by Hunter’s proposed Tenant Advocate and buildings will be better inspected and kept up to standards thanks to the new Rental Housing Integrity Unit under Hunter’s plan and its 25 inspectors and the 15 new building inspectors to be hired to increase building code monitoring and fines for property standard violations in condos and apartment buildings, including elevator and appliance repair, temperature control and pests.
- Fixing buildings where seniors live: Hunter’s is the only candidate to offer anything to seniors who live in 1,715 tower buildings and the 18 per cent of all renters who live in condo units. Hunter will expand the “Taking Action on Tower Renewal” (TATR) program so it supports basic repairs to units including “quality of life” items like elevators, improved community spaces and on-site parks and playgrounds.
Hunter will also create a new “Taking Action on Condo Rental Renewal” (TACRR) Program provide grants and financing to condominium owners who rent their units and wish to undertake energy efficiency retrofits, or other renovations to improve tenant comfort.
- Multi-generational housing: Many homeowners who are seniors would like to modify their homes to create space for family members both for companionship and to help younger relatives with the high cost of housing. Having family in close proximity is also identified by many seniors as a key support allowing them to stay independent in their own homes which is what most seniors desire the most. To encourage such changes Hunter will provide up to $100,000 in forgivable low-interest loans for the cost of renovations or additions to create multiplexes with the annual payment forgivable every year that a new unit is rented at below average rent.
- Better library service for seniors: The Toronto Public Library network of 100 branches is a door to knowledge, community and vital support for everyone in our city especially many seniors providing community and access to the latest books, entertainment and technology. Hunter will extend Sunday servicefrom 11 am through 5 pm. Funding will be doubled for the Seniors Digital Literacy Program to improve seniors’ digital literacy and enhance connectedness. Also, 108 Toronto Public Library satellites will be opened which will deliver books that are ordered and serve as a place for their return in new Toronto Affordable Housing Corporation developments, as well as provide access to computers, free Wi-Fi, and printers.
- Safer roads for seniors: Toronto Police Service data shows that seniors account for almost 50 per cent of all pedestrian fatalities. This is simply unacceptable. Hunter will significantly increase the budget for the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan to focus on enhancing safety for our most dangerous intersections and roads. This will include additional community safety zones, watch your speed signs, pedestrian crossovers, missing link sidewalks and school crossing guards. Hunter’s plan will also identify and install additional Seniors Safety Zones as part of Vision Zero to make roads safer for seniors and for persons with disabilities.
- Better public health for seniors: As part of Hunter’s proposed Toronto Affordable Housing Corporation’s new developments, 74 new satellite offices will be created for the delivery of services by Toronto Public Health. Nurses will have dedicated space allowing them to deliver programs and services that benefit many seniors including programs to promote optimal nutrition and physical activity as well as diabetes prevention, skin cancer prevention, well-being promotion, and adult dental disease management.
- Protecting seniors from the effects of climate change: The most immediate effect of climate change is severe and dangerous weather and, for many Toronto Seniors the biggest current risk are residential basement flooding and extreme heat. Hunter’s climate risk reduction plan includes a Residential Flood Protection Program to educate homeowners twice a year, in spring and fall, on ways to protect residential flooding. It includes an Extreme Heat Protection Program to help the most vulnerable people in Toronto - seniors, those living alone, those with pre-existing health conditions, those who are financially challenged – by expanding and enhancing regular checks done during heat waves, to ensure they are hydrated, have access to a fan or an air conditioning unit, and if needed that they have access to cooling centres. It also incudes a Neighbourhood Shade Tree Program to give Torontonians respite from extreme heat, lower emissions, and to lower the impacts of the “heat island effect” by boosting Toronto’s shade tree canopy through tree planting throughout the city, starting with lower-income areas where there is very limited shade coverage.
- Food security for seniors: All buildings developed by the TAHC will have retail space offered at below market rents to small and medium sized grocery stores providing fresh produce. Located throughout the city and in many low-income neighbourhoods, these grocery stores will help reduce the number of “food deserts” in our city. These are neighbourhoods where residents have little or no access to stores and restaurants that provide healthy and affordable fresh foods. In many parts of the city, small fruit and vegetable stores are a feature of thriving streets. Bringing these types of stores to TAHC building will help ensure healthier and fresher options are available and thus help fight obesity and chronic diseases like diabetes.
- Parks that are senior friendly:Add more than 17 acres of new parks and green space at 68 sites across the city through TAHC. There will be 34 new sites with on-site playgrounds for building residents and local neighbours and 34 new sites with larger parkettes offering green space, exercise stations and playgrounds for building residents and local neighbours. These parks will be installed with senior-friendly outdoor fitness equipment in the design and refurbishment of new TAHC parks. The City Beautification budget will be increased by 25 per cent to support more litter, park bin and street litter bin collection. Funding will also increase to provide Parks, Forestry & Recreation Staff with resources to ensure washrooms are open and clean and things like water fountains are in working order.
- More community events in long-term care facilities: Support community activities in long-term facilities to ensure our seniors have safe and supportive spaces to socialize and connect.
In drawing up her plan, Hunter drew on her experience as CAO of Toronto Community Housing, CEO of CivicAction, and as a board member with The United Way of Greater Toronto.
“My approach is one that is helpful and inclusive and will help transform Toronto by enhancing safety and affordability for seniors and their overall quality of life,” says Hunter.
“Let’s build a Toronto that works for everyone and that includes seniors.”
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Contact:
Charmain Emerson
charmain@culturedcommunications.ca
Remarks by Mitzie Hunter announcing her Affordability Plan for Seniors, June 1, 2023:
- Since the beginning of this campaign I have systematically laid out my priorities.
- More affordable housing, more quickly.
- Unlocking public lands for affordable housing.
- Below-market price housing for renters and buyers.
- Investing more in city services… so the city works better.
- More potholes filled, better snow clearance…
- Enhanced and improved neighbourhood parks.
- My practical and pragmatic game plan to help Toronto close the $4.3-billion hole in its operating budget between now and 2025.
- Today I am issuing my Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors…
- A Toronto that works for everyone must be both safe…
- And affordable… for seniors…
- And enhance their quality of life.
- My Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors includes:
- Seniors and Wheel-Trans users ride free on the TTC
- Better TTC service for seniors
- Property tax relief for seniors… with most seniors paying a below-inflation three per cent increase, and many getting a zero increase.
- Affordable housing for seniors
- Protecting seniors who rent
- Fixing buildings where seniors live
- Multi-generational housing… so seniors can stay in their homes.
- Better library service for seniors
- Safer roads for seniors
- Better public health for seniors
- Protecting seniors from the effects of climate change
- Food security for seniors
- Parks that are senior friendly
- More community events in long-term care facilities
- Making Toronto a place that works for everyone means the city must be safe and affordable for seniors and enhance their quality of life.
- My Safety and Affordability Action Plan for Seniors will ensure that Toronto is a place where people can grow older and age successfully.
- I am running for mayor because I want to lead Toronto’s revival.
- I have a comprehensive, fully-costed plan…
- To do exactly that.
- As we saw yet again in the debate last night, while other candidates refuse to be clear on their property tax proposals…
- I am crystal clear.
- I have put forward my Three-and-Six plan.
- Under my plan… 40 per cent of homeowners…
- All those with a household incomes under $80,000…
- Will have a below-inflation increase, or $108 a year…
- That’s a three-per-cent increase.
- More than 50 per cent of seniors will be able to eliminate or defer their property tax increase…
- And have no additional out of pocket costs at all.
- Small businesses and creative activities will also pay nothing more in new property tax.
- And higher income homeowners…
- Who can afford to pay a little more will be asked to pay…
- Six per cent more… that’s $216 a year.
- It’s a new… different… affordable…
- And progressive way to fairly adjust property tax increases.
- A plan that does not depend upon the dishonest wishful thinking that some candidates continue to claim…
- That other levels of government…
- Will provide a Toronto-only bailout.
- That has never happened before…
- And it isn’t going to happen now.
- We need to get going ourselves…
- And we can.
- I want to Fix the Six.
- So we can then invest…
- And build the Toronto we want.
- Join me.
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