June 25, 2002

Before I begin, I want to express my heart-felt thanks to each and every one of you for your participation in our Toronto City Summit.

You are giving our city your time, your energy and your expertise. Your very presence here tonight shows that you care. On behalf of the 2 ½ million people of Toronto, I want you to know how much our city appreciates it.

Canadian cities are at a critical point in their history.

Legislation drafted to help cities 200 years ago hinders us today. In fact, under that legislation, we don't even exist.

We don't have enough money to replace our aging infrastructure. We can't afford to maintain our public transit systems. The burden of social services is crippling our ability to compete internationally - and we don't have the tools we need to improve our lot in life because our only source of sustainable revenue is a portion of the regressive property tax.

This must change.

The voices of reason have made a lot of progress in the past few weeks.

The provincial government has pledged $110 million a year in capital projects for the next ten years to keep the red rocket rolling - and the federal government has committed to $76 million from the year 2000 capital project infrastructure funding to see us through until next year.

We announced $235 million in funding for Toronto's cultural attractions - a portion of which will be used to expand the very building we're meeting in tonight.

We've accomplished something Else, too. We've got people talking and concerned about our future.

Federal cabinet ministers, provincial cabinet ministers, a house of commons committee, two major banks, the board of trade representing 70 of the largest Canadian companies, the major daily newspapers - they are all saying what many of us have been saying for years.

Canada's cities need a new deal or the entire country will be in trouble.

We need more than one-time funding for cultural institutions or public transit or municipalities subsidizing social housing.

Cities are the economic engines that drive this country's economy but in Toronto, we only get 5 per cent of all the taxes generated.

Cities are supposed to pick up garbage not pay out hundreds of millions to subsidize housing.

We need to breath new life into the cities of Canada. I know that's true for Toronto. My friend, Mayor glen Murray, knows that's true for Winnipeg.

To quote the Board of Trade, Toronto alone generates $98 billion in economic activity a year - 10 per cent of the country's total G.D.P. and 20 per cent of the province's.

Our economic activity needs to be protected - not just for Toronto's sake, but for the sake of our entire country.

Toronto is a great and wonderful city to live, work and play in. It's a place that is full of energetic companies and people and communities.

We have a diverse economy that is perfectly suited to weather any storm. We have a diverse population that lives together in harmony.

We have a vibrant downtown core; a waterfront that is ripe for development, a world-class airport, beautiful parks and public transit system that is second to none.

Over the next 24 hours, we are going to try to find ways to make it better.

Our discussions are going to help shape the future of this and other great cities.

Our ideas are going to help us chart a course for the next decade.

Hopefully, your participation is going to make a difference for generations to come.

A lot of hard work has gone into making this Summit a reality. I want to thank everyone who has helped - our corporate sponsors, our participating organizations and our terrific volunteers. A special thanks to the Royal Ontario Museum for their co-operation in hosting tonight's event.

A special thank you also goes to the Summit co-chairs - Elyse Allan, David Crombie, Frances Lankin and John Tory.

Although each of them has tremendous demands placed upon them daily, they gave of their time generously - which just goes to prove that if you want something done right, go to a busy person.

Finally, I want to thank all of the speakers and panellists who are taking part.

David Collenette, Minister of Transport, will be telling us how the federal government sees the future of the Greater Toronto Area - and I'm hoping there's some on-going funding in that future.

Chris Hodgson, our provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs, will talk about the role his government plays in our city - and how he sees that role changing in the years ahead.

York west MP Judy Sgro will share the findings of the Prime Minister's caucus task force on urban issues.

Greg Clark of the London development agency will be sharing some of his experiences in keeping the Crown Jewel of England at the front of the world stage.

And Marc Morial will be giving us the benefit of his experience, as former Mayor of New Orleans and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Mayor Morial knows first-hand the challenges facing urban communities - revitalizing neighborhoods, fighting crime, attracting investment and jobs, and creating affordable housing.

As president of the Conference of Mayors, he has had the chance to learn what cities and senior governments all over the United States are doing to secure their place in the 21st century.

We are lucky to be hearing from someone who has helped deal with the problems that we in Toronto are trying to avoid.

Mayor Morial, I look forward to hearing from you and learning about how Toronto can benefit from the American experience.