posted on March 14, 2009

New Toronto act, two years later

Published: December 28, 2008
Source: The Star

So, you don't like paying thousands of dollars to city hall through Toronto's land transfer tax? Well, it wouldn't be possible without the new City of Toronto Act. You object to a municipally imposed motor vehicle registration fee? Put it down to the act. You don't want to have to pay a nickel for a plastic shopping bag? Blame the act again.

Indeed, few pieces of legislation have had more impact on Canada's largest city than the new act, which came into force Jan. 1, 2007. It gave Toronto new autonomy and taxing powers.

But the framers of the act wisely included a provision requiring a review after two years.

We are now at that point. Oddly, however, both the city and province seem uninspired by the occasion. Instead of a far-ranging and public review of the strengths and weaknesses of the groundbreaking law and possible amendments, it will likely be a perfunctory affair – perhaps little more than a token meeting of civil servants from both Queen's Park and city hall.

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