Goal: Toronto fully funds all actions in its TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, keeping on track to meet 2025, 2030, and 2040 climate targets, and accelerating investments in affordable housing, transit, and good green jobs.

2022-2026 Council Actions:

  • Follow through on Toronto’s climate emergency declaration commitment to secure dedicated, sustained and equitable climate funding by implementing new revenue tools to fund climate action
  • Scale up deep retrofit programs for all buildings including critical investments in projects that green buildings and increase the number of safe and deeply affordable housing units, including the City’s Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) Program and High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support (Hi-RIS) Program
  • Build complete streets that protect pedestrians and cyclists sooner, especially in communities where walking and cycling infrastructure is the most lacking
  • Accelerate the timeline for a zero-emission TTC and City fleets
  • Improve public transit reliability by implementing all RapidTO bus and streetcar lanes in identified priority corridors 
  • Ensure the City’s arms length entities like Toronto Hydro fully implement effective plans to enable Toronto’s climate commitments

Answer

Why is this important?

In December 2021, Toronto City Council adopted a new climate plan - the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy - which includes ambitious targets to cut Toronto's emissions. But the plan only has enough funding for small steps. Without deeper funding and investment, we won't hit our targets and we won't achieve the incredible benefits that climate solutions can bring to communities.Along with more funding from the province and federal government, Toronto needs steady, ongoing and equitable funding tools to hit big milestones like making all buildings net zero and getting everyone into green modes of transportation like transit, bikes, and electric vehicles. The Mayor and Council committed to creating new climate funding tools in the 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration, but it hasn’t happened. Meanwhile, other cities like Portland and Halifax are charging ahead with innovative tools to fund their climate action projects and bring good green jobs to communities. Funding the TransformTO Net Zero Strategy is possible, but the Mayor and Council need to follow through on their commitment to do it.