This story was originally Appeared in Canada’s National Observer and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
A plan to charge Toronto homeowners and businesses to pave their properties has sparked a public backlash, with a ton of negative attention from international media and even from donald trump jr..
Protests came to a head last week when the city canceled a public hearing on a tax that was intended to help offset hundreds of millions of dollars spent managing stormwater and basement flooding.
Called a “rain tax” by critics, including the son of a former U.S. president on XA Sky News presenter also condemned the plan and discouraged people from traveling to Canada’s largest city, saying: “You think it can’t get worse… don’t go to Toronto because when it rains they’re going to You tax.”
The size of the hard surface area will determine the storm water charge at issue for properties that do not absorb water, such as roofs, driveways, parking lots or concrete landscaping.
“When we have heavy rainstorms, basements flood, roadways flood and sewage overflows and flows into lakes or rivers,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement. Online video posts on X. “Rainwater slides off paved surfaces instead of being absorbed into the ground. It strains our water infrastructure, causing damage to your home and the environment.”
The new fees will adjust water rates to reduce water use rates and increase stormwater rates based on property size and hard surface area.
online A public meeting will be held following the public consultation. However, less than a week later, online consultations were suspended and public meetings canceled. The city claims the deferral of fees is necessary so staff can find a way to integrate the new fees with the city’s broader climate adaptation strategy.
Zhou said she hopes the city will provide financial incentives for residents to plant backyard gardens or install permeable pavement to help with drainage.
“I think it’s unfair that a stormwater policy that requires homeowners to pay leaves businesses with lots of parking lots off the hook,” Zhou said. Many businesses with large paved areas, such as parking lots, do not pay water bills and therefore do not contribute to stormwater management.
“That’s why I’m asking Toronto Water to bring a plan to city council that supports more green infrastructure, prevents flooding and keeps water rates low,” Chow said.
In last year’s city budget, the 10-year plan (2023 to 2032) allocated $4.3 billion for stormwater management, including $2.11 billion for a basement flood protection program. Last year alone, the city invested $225.3 million in basement projects.
Other nearby cities, including Mississauga, Vaughan and Markham, have long had stormwater fees.
The City of Vaughan said in an email response that its stormwater fees support the city’s numerous programs and initiatives to help protect the environment, property and water quality. The city of Vaughan said stormwater rates for detached residential units in 2024 will be $64.20 per year, up from $58.63 last year.