The City of Toronto’s widely opposed new “rain tax” has been put on hold until 2027, just days before public talks on the tax were scheduled.
Meetings were scheduled for Apr. 8, 11, and 16 to provide Torontonians with information and gather feedback on what is officially called the stormwater charge, but these talks have been cancelled amid mounting pushback.
“Consultation has been paused to allow City staff to do further work to align the possible implementation of a stormwater charge and water service charge with the City’s broader climate resilience strategy, as well as the commercial parking levy being considered and the City’s long-term financial plan,” the City of Toronto wrote on its website.
The proposed charge is supposed to help maintain Toronto’s aging stormwater system.
The stormwater charge has been facing criticism on social media both nationally and internationally.
Even Donald Trump Jr., son of the former American president, added his voice to the debate.
According to the city, during storms, when not absorbed into the ground, rain runoff from people’s properties overwhelms the city’s sewers and storm drains when carried through pipes into local waterways.
If Toronto’s sewer system is overwhelmed, it could lead to flooded basements and impact the quality of the surface water in the city’s rivers.
The charge would be based on the amount of stormwater runoff into the city’s storm sewer system that a property allows. The more hard surface area on your property, the more you’ll pay.
According to the city, flat surfaces include roofs, asphalt, driveways, parking areas and concrete landscaping.
According to the municipal government, the city’s rain tax revenue would fund the city’s stormwater management initiative.
The city would use aerial photography to determine the tax cost by gauging the number of hard surfaces on each individual property.
Other Ontario cities such as Kitchener, Mississauga, and Orillia have implemented rain taxes.