I am involved in a wide range of difficult decisions on the City of Toronto: Budget Advisory Committee. We must present a balanced budget while being mindful with property taxes, fees and service charges. Despite this constraint, I am firmly committed to ensuring that the arts and literature receive the funds necessary to thrive in our city.
Ward 10 produces some of the city’s most creative minds, whose works appear on canvas, across the stage and in books. I pledged my support for funding North York's only major theatre, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, which receives $1.6 million in subsidies.
2013 marks 10 years since the city first committed to increasing arts funding to $25 per person. It is time to finally reach this target. With the Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision to uphold the billboard tax, revenues upwards of $10 million per year will be sent into a city reserve fund. It is also time to reverse the unfair flow of funds that head downtown, and give suburban communities their share.
I have been working with city departments, including recreation, economic development and arts groups, to revitalize the space at the Herbert Carnegie Centennial Centre and adjacent Centennial Library. Our goal is to build onto these two great facilities to create a hub including a stage, business incubator and new public space promoting the arts.
Cities face tough choices. But great cities are always defined by the support they give to the arts.
Though we must always be careful with how we dispense taxpayer funds, a vibrant cultural community must be supported with a strong political commitment.