Thursday, August 9, 2018

Two Toronto coalitions mailed out letters today to over 200 Mayor and Council candidates asking them to support the implementation of City Council commitments on poverty reduction.

“Too many people in Toronto are struggling to make ends meet,” said Adina Lebo, Chair of Commitment TO Community. “Voters want to know which candidates will follow through on City plans to improve access to affordable housing, transit, child care and recreation programs.”

City Council unanimously adopted Toronto’s first poverty reduction strategy in 2015.  The strategy aims to ensure that all Toronto residents have access to good jobs, income, housing, transit and other services by 2025.

“It is unfair and unconscionable that so many members of our community lack decent housing, adequate food and affordable child care,” said Tina Conlon, of Davenport-Perth Community Ministry. “We want voters to know which candidates are going to work, if elected, for a more equitable and prosperous city.”

Toronto has the highest level of child poverty among large Canadian cities, and the largest gap in income between rich and poor.

Council-approved poverty reduction commitments for the years 2018-2022 include:

• 7,200 new supportive housing units, 8,000 new affordable rental units and 1,000 new shelter spaces
• A 30% reduction in TTC fares for an additional 157,000 lower-income adults
• 11,500 new child care spaces, including 5,000 subsidized spaces
• 40,000 new community recreation program spaces

Commitment to Community is a coalition of residents, faith communities, non-profit groups and community organizations working to build a better, fairer and more inclusive Toronto through active engagement at City Hall.

Faith in the City is a network of faith leaders from across the religious spectrum in Toronto who are concerned about the wellbeing of our neighbourhoods and our city.

Contact:
Communications Officer, Social Planning Toronto
[email protected]
416 351 0095 ext. 227

Adina Lebo
Chair, Commitment TO Community
905 691 3462

Tina Conlon
Faith in the City
416 654 3726

After the tragic van attack that left 10 people dead and 16 injured, Faith in the City participated with other faith groups to organize a vigil in memory of the victims, many of whom were newcomers from various walks of life. The vigil drew thousands of people to Mel Lastman Square in north Toronto, near the site of the attack. 

Faith leaders from across the city marked the international day for the eradication of poverty by occupying City Hall and performing a marathon ‘pray-in’ in front of Mayor John Tory’s office.

Calling for greater investments in the upcoming city budget, the faith group ‘Faith in the City’ says the Mayor and Council are not doing enough to combat poverty in the city.

On October 17, we are joining in prayer outside Mayor Tory’s office to hold him – and Council – to account on what they have promised to do. We will join with leaders from faith communities across the city to pray for action on Poverty. As members of diverse faiths, we share a common value: the belief in treating others as we want to be treated.  We do this by sowing love and compassion towards others.

Pray-in for Action on Poverty 

Tuesday, October 17

Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St W (2^nd floor)

10:30am – Faith Leader Prayer

Noon – 9:00pm – Ongoing Interfaith Prayer Vigil

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Sponsored by Faith in the City

For information, contact Brian at 416-351-0095 x237 or [email protected]

It’s hard to live in Toronto.

• 1 in 4 of our children live in poverty. 
• 52% of us don’t have stable, secure jobs. 
• 100,000 households are waiting for subsidized housing and many more are looking for homes they can afford. 
• TTC fares continue to skyrocket as Toronto remains one of the most underfunded transit systems in North America.
• Our city is rated the most unequal in Canada

Prominent members of Toronto’s religious communities, organized under the coalition ‘Faith in the City’ marked the one-year anniversary of the passage of Toronto’s Poverty Reduction Strategy by urging City Council to fund the plan they unanimously passed in 2015.

Over 100 Leaders from Toronto's prominent faith communities gathered last night at the Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto to hear from expert panelists and organize ahead of this year's City Budget.