Get Ready To Pay More For Water, As City Approves 9 Percent Hike
Posted November 7, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The shaky state of the economy won’t translate into a break on the cost of water next year.
Toronto homeowners will be paying 9 percent more for water next year, as was the case this year. It’s an increase city dwellers will have to get used to – as they’ll likely be paying more each year until 2014.
The hike was approved by city councillors Thursday by a vote of 27-13, and will see an average household water bill rise about $47 to $567. Some members on council suggested the city should ease off on raising taxes given the global financial downturn, and argued that plans made months ago should be modified to reflect the new economic reality.
Torontonians are also dealing with property tax increases, new user fees for garbage disposal, as well as new taxes on cars. All this adds up to a 10 percent jump in the amount of taxes paid, which some politicians contend is just too much to saddle citizens with.
Mayor David Miller disagrees, arguing the taxes will go toward infrastructure spending – money for things like sewer and water pipe repair, which he says will actually help to create jobs.
In another vote, council approved the decision to transfer the cost of garbage collection from homeowners’ property tax bill to the new user-fee system, which took effect Nov. 1. The 24-11 approval means homeowners will stop paying the current average of $209 per single-family home, and will instead pay for a bin, which depending on size ranges in cost from $199 to $399 annually.
