News Release
December 17, 2019

Toronto City Council has approved the 2020 rate-supported operating and capital budgets for Toronto Water, Toronto Parking Authority and Solid Waste Management Services. The approved budgets maintain and improve current service levels and make significant investments for the City’s future.

Toronto Water’s 2020 rate-supported budget consists of an operating budget of $1.4 billion including a capital reserve contribution of $921.2 million, a capital budget of $1.2 billion and a 10-year capital plan of $14.5 billion. A three per cent rate increase will be effective January 1, 2020 – the average household will see an annual increase of approximately $27 next year. The budget focuses on continuing to deliver clean, safe drinking water, treat wastewater and manage stormwater, in an environmentally and fiscally responsible way for the city’s residents, businesses and visitors while dealing with the impacts of extreme storms, aging infrastructure and significant city growth.

Toronto Parking Authority’s budget aims to meet the parking needs of businesses, communities and visitors in Toronto. The approved 2020 budget includes an operating budget that generates net revenue of $70.1 million for on-street parking, off-street parking and the Bike Share program, a capital budget of $66 million and a 10-year capital plan of $355.2 million.

The Solid Waste Management Services 2020 budget funds waste collection for almost 900,000 residential homes and organizations. It also contributes to the beautification of Toronto through city-wide litter pickup and the collection of waste from park bins and street bins and cleanup of special events. The budget ensures the continued implementation of the Long Term Waste Management Strategy, which supports waste reduction, reuse and diversion of waste away from landfill. The approved budget includes an operating budget of $378.9 million, including a capital reserve contribution of $18.8 million, a capital budget of $81.3 million and a 10-Year Capital Plan of $768.1 million. Priorities over the next 10 years include renewable natural gas infrastructure that will allow the City to harness the green energy potential of landfill gas and biogas, the acceleration of a third organics processing facility and planning to ensure sufficient capacity for long-term disposal of garbage. A 2.45 per cent blended rate increase will be effective January 1, 2020. The Solid Waste rebates will be determined as part of the tax-supported budget process, which will launch on January 10, 2020.

Budget notes, presentations and reports are available at http://www.toronto.ca/budget/.

Quotes

“Today, City Council approved water and solid waste rate budgets that are focused on maintaining and improving service levels for Toronto’s residents, while ensuring financial sustainability. The capital budgets invests in key priority areas while supporting our growing population’s emerging needs. The Toronto Water 2020 budget alone invests $616 million in in water infrastructure state of good repair – that’s a major investment in Toronto Water’s state of good repair backlog. This budget makes sure we’re digging up water pipes that are more than 100 years old and replacing them rather than waiting until they break and having to do costly emergency fixes.”
– Mayor John Tory

“People expect their garbage, recycling, green bin, and yard waste will get picked up when they put it out on the curb and they expect clean water will come out of the tap when they turn it on – that’s what we make sure these budgets will provide. The investments these budgets make will ensure we are continuing important work across the city like the work we saw this summer on our water and stormwater infrastructure as part of our $1 billion construction season.”
– Budget Chief Gary Crawford (Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest)

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.

Diane Morrison
Toronto Water
416-392-3496
Robin Oliphant
Toronto Parking Authority
416-393-7282
Tamara Staranchuk
Solid Waste Management Services
416-392-4716