Open letter to Mayor John Tory from Toronto NDP MPPs on social housing crisis in the City of Toronto

Cheri DiNovo, Parkdale-High Park NDP MPP, and Peter Tabuns, NDP MPP for Toronto-Danforth, issued the following open letter to Toronto Mayor John Tory addressing his concerns in his letter to Toronto MPPs about the city’s social housing crisis. 

 

His WorshipMayor John ToryCity of TorontoSecond Floor, 100 Queen Street WestToronto, ON M5H 2N2

 

Dear Mayor Tory,

Thank you for the letter regarding Toronto's social housing crisis, and the opportunity to reiterate the commitment from Andrea Horwath and the NDP. 

New Democrats are committed to supporting the City of Toronto’s capital repair plan and funding one-third of the repair costs for social housing units, sharing the responsibility equally with the city and the federal government.

Housing Minister Chris Ballard’s response to your letter, that “… the province is more than pulling its weight in making Toronto an even better place to call home and put down roots” is a slap in the face to Torontonians. Premier Kathleen Wynne has allowed Toronto’s social housing units to crumble by refusing to pay the province’s fair share of repairs.

We have requested a meeting with Minister Ballard to discuss the urgent matters raised in your letter, and the impact on Toronto Community Housing units in Parkdale-High Park, Toronto-Danforth and throughout Toronto.

We will once again urge Minister Ballard and the Wynne government to reverse the damage it has done by years of funding cuts to Toronto social housing; and urge the Liberals to finally step up and fund the province’s one-third share of social housing capital repair costs.

Failing that, our commitment to Toronto is solid. Should the NDP form a government in 2018, it will ease the housing crisis in Toronto, in part, by funding the province’s one-third share of social housing repairs.

Sincerely,

[Original signed]                                                                               

Cheri DiNovo, MPP, Parkdale-High Park                              
Peter Tabuns, MPP, Toronto-Danforth