Municipal measures - The City of Toronto
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Creation of the Economic Support and Recovery Task Force |
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DESCRIPTION |
Mayor John Tory has announced an economic task force to help aid businesses and workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The Economic Support and Recovery Task Force will "identify immediate and long-term economic strategies for residents and businesses, with a focus on supporting those segments of the economy that are most strongly impacted by COVID-19, such as tourism, hospitality, and entertainment." |
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LINKS |
See the Mayor of Toronto's statement posted on March 16, 2020 here |
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Municipal Tax Measures |
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DESCRIPTION |
On March 20, 2020 the Mayor of Toronto announced that businesses and property owners in the City of Toronto will have a 60-day grace period of their City of Toronto property tax, Toronto Water, and Solid Waste bill payments as of March 16, 2020. Also starting March 16, 2020, payment penalties on residential and business properties will be waived for 60 days. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's website here. And the City's Economic Support and Recovery for Businesses page here. |
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Suspension of Electricity Disconnections for Low-Volume Small Business Customers |
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DESCRIPTION |
Toronto Hydro has extended its current suspension of electricity disconnections for low-volume small business customers until July 31. |
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LINKS |
Toronto Hydro encourages business customers to contact their Customer Care team directly at 416-542-8000 for help with billing concerns and payment options. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's COVID-19: Bills & Tax Relief for Businesses page here |
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24-Hour Retail Delivery Exemption |
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DESCRIPTION |
Effective immediately and until further notice, all retail businesses are exempt from the City of Toronto's Noise Bylaw to facilitate after hour deliveries. |
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LINKS |
City's Economic Support and Recovery for Businesses page here. |
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Expand the City's Small Business Advisory Services |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City of Toronto has announced that it will be expanding the City's small business and advisory services to help businesses as they plan to recover from impacts. |
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LINKS |
See the City's Economic Support and Recovery for Businesses page here. |
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Launch of BusinessTo Support Centre |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City's new BusinessTO Support Centre will be available for all sectors, including not-for-profit, creative/cultural, manufacturing, technology, retail, hospitality, tourism, main street businesses and consulting services. The centre will help businesses apply for government support programs such as:
In addition to this virtual one-on-one support, the BusinessTO Support Centre will offer a weekly webinar series to provide information about these available government programs and the requirements to apply. The centre will also inform businesses about how they can support the City's COVID-19 response and provide general business support and information about other City programs. |
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ACCESS & ELIGIBILITY |
The BusinessTO Support Centre is available online here. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 22, 2020 here |
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Increased Support to Digital Main Street |
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DESCRIPTION |
Digital Main Street was created by the City of Toronto and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) in 2016 to assist main street businesses in growing their operations through technology with easy to use tools and resources. The program is also supported by Google, Mastercard, Shopify and Microsoft. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for Digital Main Street in Toronto has been tripled. The budget for the program will go from $240,000 to $825,000 this year. The funding will be used to expand the Digital Service Squad to support Toronto's main street businesses through one-on-one virtual support. |
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ACCESS & ELIGIBILITY |
Local businesses can complete the Digital Main Street onboarding process and receive a free Digital Assessment and recommended to-do list here. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 16, 2020 here |
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Launch of DonateTO: COVID-19 portal |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City of Toronto has launched DontateTO: a portal that allows businesses and residents to make donations of product, service and funds in support of the City's pandemic relief efforts. |
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LINKS |
Residents and business wanting to help support the City's COVID-19 response and recovery efforts can visit toronto.ca/covid-19 to make their gift or find out more about volunteer opportunities. Questions about donations can be directed to donate@toronto.ca. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 15, 2020 here |
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Licensed Child Care Centres for Children of Essential Workers |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City of Toronto opened four licensed child care centres to provide care for the children of essential and critical service workers on March 31, 2020. On April 13, 2020, the City of Toronto received authorization from the Government of Ontario to open two additional centres. The centres will be located in existing city-run licensed child care facilities and staffed by City of Toronto child care workers. |
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LINKS |
Emergency child care services are reserved exclusively for children of essential and critical service workers identified in the Province of Ontario's "List of Workers Eligible for Emergency Child Care," who have no other alternatives. A complete list of workers eligible for emergency child care is available here.
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's April 13, 2020 news release here See the City of Toronto's March 31, 2020 news release here |
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Establish a Contingency Fund |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City of Toronto has announced that they will establish a contingency fund to support businesses and affected groups. |
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ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY |
There is little information available on the contingency fund at this time, the City has stated that the fund will be based on consultations to determine need and scale. |
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LINKS |
City's Economic Support and Recovery for Businesses page here. |
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The Housing Stabilization Fund |
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DESCRIPTION |
The Housing Stabilization Fund is a pre-existing program that remains available. The Housing Stabilization Fund provides money for emergency housing needs to people receiving financial assistance through Ontario Works or income support through Ontario Disability Support Program in the city. |
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ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY |
More information on the HSF and how to apply can be found here. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's Financial Support for Renters webpage here |
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Interest-Free Loans for Low-Income Households Facing Eviction |
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DESCRIPTION |
The Toronto Rent Bank is a pre-existing program that remains available. The Toronto Rent Bank provides limited, interest-free repayable loans to eligible low-income households facing imminent eviction for rental arrears, including seniors, individuals, and families. The maximum loan is two months' rent. Emergency Rental Deposit Loans are also available for eligible low-income households requiring first and/or last month's rent deposit to move into more affordable/stable housing. |
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ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY |
People receiving social assistance or living in rent-geared-to-income units are not eligible for Rent Bank loans. Access the Toronto Rent Bank through the Neighbourhood Information Post, found here. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's Financial Support for Renters webpage here |
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Energy-Related Emergency Help for Low-Income Residents |
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DESCRIPTION |
Low-income Toronto residents may qualify for help from the City of Toronto with energy-related emergencies to reconnect, prevent disconnection or to assist in the payment of energy arrears for hydro, gas or oil services. This is a pre-existing program that remains available during the emergency. |
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ACCESS AND ELIGIBILITY |
Low income residents of Toronto who are not receiving assistance from Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) can apply, regardless of their immigration status in Canada. Eligible residents must have received a disconnection notice or have already been disconnected or have energy arrears and do not have enough money to pay the arrears. To apply for the Emergency Energy Fund call 416-338-8888. Assessments are done over the phone. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's Financial Support for Renters webpage here |
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Assistance for Toronto Community Housing Market Rent and Rent-Geared-to-Income Tenants |
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DESCRIPTION |
Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) has confirmed that it will be flexible and work with market rent and rent-geared-to-income (RGI) tenants whose employment income has been impacted by COVID-19. For rent-geared-to-income households, which make up about 90 per cent of TCHC tenants, the housing corporation will recalculate their rent based on employment income changes owing to job loss or layoff incurred because of COVID-19. Rent will be adjusted or deferred in order to respond to the economic impact of COVID-19. For market rent tenants whose income has been reduced as a result of a job loss or layoff because of the COVID-19 response, TCHC will consider various case-specific options to assist them, which may include arranging for payment deferment plans that suit their situation over the next few months. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated March 24, 2020 here |
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Support for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City's Shelter, Support & Housing Administration (SSHA) is leading a three-tiered approach to protecting vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. The three tiers – prevention, mitigation and recovery – allow the City, community partners, and healthcare providers to respond to each stage of the pandemic. SSHA is assisting with relocating individuals for necessary isolation, and the City has distributed $1.2 million among shelters, 24-hour respites, and drop-ins for cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and wage increases for frontline staff. The Rapid Housing Access Initiative, introduced at the start of the pandemic prioritizes housing for individuals in the shelter system. |
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ACCESSIBILITY AND ELIGIBILITY |
Housing referrals for the Rapid Housing Initiative are made through the Coordinated Access system. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 14, 2020 here |
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City-Community Response Table |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City has established the City-Community Response Table which is comprised of 30 community agencies and many City divisions. The group works to identify new and emerging issues affecting vulnerable Torononians during the emergency and to plan city-wide responses to address issues such as food security and community resource needs. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's COVID-19: Seniors and Vulnerable People webpage here |
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Food Access Strategy |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City has developed a food access strategy that includes the establishment of a group consisting of large-scale community groups that works to identify ways to prevent food banks from being closed, support those that are running, and troubleshoot issues as they arise. The group is working on multiple food access programs including:
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's COVID-19: Seniors and Vulnerable People webpage here |
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Food for Kids Program |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City is working with student nutrition program partners to support the Food For Kids Program, which is sending $50 grocery gift cards (per child) to families of children in need who attend school in Toronto and were previously enrolled in the program. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's COVID-19: Seniors and Vulnerable People webpage here |
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Internet Access for Vulnerable Populations |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City of Toronto has partnered with technology and telecommunications companies to provide free temporary internet access for many vulnerable Torontonians. These partnerships will provide free access for residents in lower-income neighbourhoods, seniors in long-term care homes and clients in many City-operated shelters. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 28, 2020 here. |
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Interim Housing for People Sleeping in Encampments |
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DESCRIPTION |
The City is providing interim housing for people sleeping outdoors. The new interim housing is located in two vacant apartment buildings in Midtown Toronto. There are a total of 125 furnished units for clients. The buildings are being leased by the City from a local developer. The support is being offered for up to 6 months. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 29, 2020 here. |
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Implementation Plan for Modular Supportive Housing Initiative |
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DESCRIPTION |
Mayor John Tory announced on April 24, 2020 the proposed implementation plan for a modular supportive housing initiative to create 110 modular homes on two City-owned sites. The new modular homes are expected to be ready for occupancy by September 2020 and will provide stable, affordable housing and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness. |
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LINKS |
See the City of Toronto's news release dated April 24, 2020 here. Further details on the proposed implementation plan can be found in the staff report here. |
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