Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says she has no plans to ‘tax’ rain, or rather, charge Torontonians for excess stormwater coming off their property.
“Despite what they say on Twitter or X, the city of Toronto isn’t trying to tax the rain,” Chow said in a video post to X on Wednesday, where she stood wrapped in a raincoat in the midst of a strong downpour. “If it was, we’d be making big bucks today.”
The City of Toronto isn’t trying to tax the rain.
I’ve told Toronto Water to come back to City Council with a plan that supports more green infrastructure, prevents flooding, and keeps your water bills low. pic.twitter.com/ENrjQMbr5n
— Mayor Olivia Chow (@MayorOliviaChow) April 3, 2024
The ‘rain tax’ is in reference to news that surfaced last week that Toronto was considering implementing a “stormwater charge,” charging homeowners/businesses for water usage based on a property’s size and surface area. Under this proposal, stormwater fees would be removed from the current water rate charged to homeowners, and instead, a tax would be added to utility bills as a fixed charge.
The right-wing blathersphere is storming the airwaves screaming about Toronto’s coming “rain tax.” Past opponents called the proposed stormwater charge a “roof tax.” They don’t know what they are talking about it and means nothing to them beyond its outrage generation value
— David Rider (@dmrider) March 28, 2024
The City had originally sent out mailers to residents asking for feedback about the issue and to register for a ‘Stormwater Charge & Water Service Charge Consultation’. However, the City’s website now states that consultation has been paused to allow staff to conduct further work, “to align the possible implementation of a stormwater charge and water service charge with the City’s broader climate resilience strategy”, as well as the commercial parking levy being considered and the City’s long-term financial plan.
In Toronto, there are two types of sewer system designs: separated sewer systems (found in the newer parts of the city, where sanitary sewers carry sewage to wastewater treatment plants, and storm sewers carry stormwater directly to nearby waterways) and combined sewer systems (mainly found in older parts of the city, where one pipe is designed to take both sewage and stormwater directly to wastewater treatment).
When stormwater is not absorbed into the ground, it runs off properties, along streets, down storm drains, and is carried into local waterways or even wastewater treatment facilities. Too much water in the City’s stormwater system can overwhelm it, leading to flooded basements and poor water quality in local waterways.
“It overwhelms our water infrastructure” and “causes damage to your home and the environment” Chow stated in her video, adding that homeowners should receive financial incentives to plant gardens or install permeable pavement to help the rain drain.
“I don’t think it’s fair to have a stormwater policy that asks homeowners to pay while letting businesses with massive parking lots off the hook.”
Chow ends the video by stating that she’s asking Toronto Water to come back to City Council with a plan that supports more green infrastructure, prevents flooding, and keeps water bills low.
