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toronto’s budget massacre con- tinues as city departments and committees continue to wield the axe.
The current services hit-list includes:
Cut $6.4 million of housing money. Future affordable housing sites earmarked for sale.
10-per-cent overall cut to grants budget 12-per-cent cut to social service organizations.
Pools and ice rinks reduced to 10 weeks a year permit fees for sports fields, parks (for picnics), pools and gymnasiums increased 15 per cent $25 fee for all instructional recreation programs.
Elimination of nursing care for nearly 79,000 frail seniors.
Dental services to 32,500 poor seniors and children cut.
Elimination of services to over 55,000 people through Planned Parenthood, the AIDS Committee of Toronto, Youth Link and the Hassle Free Clinic.
Reduction of 293 hours weekly at 26 libraries.
Elimination of all new recycling projects.
Cuts to the cycling infrastructure budget.
The final budget showdown is scheduled for city council’s next meeting, April 24 to 26. In the meantime, local social service organizations are holding a series of community meetings.
The dates and places that have been confirmed are: York Civic Centre, March 19 Scarborough Civic Centre, March 27 Toronto City Hall, April 4 Etobicoke Civic Centre, April 11 North York Civic Centre, April 18. All meetings start at 7 pm.
