Top mayoral candidates clash over how to build affordable units, taxes at housing debate

It's a busy day on the campaign trail with 3 debates scheduled

cbc.ca
May 25, 2023

Clashes over who would raise property taxes and who wouldn't, along with how to actually build affordable housing, took centre stage at the first major debate featuring the top six candidates running for mayor of Toronto ---with several attacks aimed at Olivia Chow.

Chow, Brad Bradford, Mark Saunders, Josh Matlow, Mitzie Hunter and Ana Bailão were all in attendance for Wednesday's debate on housing affordability hosted by George Brown College and the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON).

Those six candidates have emerged as frontrunners ---a designation CBC Toronto is basing on a combination of factors including polling data, policy releases and past leadership experience ---in a crowded campaign that features a record 102 candidates (you can find the full list here).

Saunders, in his first major debate, was the first to target Chow on taxes, saying: "Olivia Chow is ready to tax. So let's stop dancing around this and get right to the point."

Saunders, Bradford and Bailão all vowed to hold property tax at or below the rate of inflation, something John Tory routinely campaigned on during his mayoral runs.

Bradford, who has been regularly posting on social media demanding Chow release her taxation plans, said a tax hike would lead to people paying thousands of dollars a year more and "that makes life less affordable in the city of Toronto."

"People cannot afford a 20 per cent tax increase from Olivia Chow," he said.

In response, Chow said what she is looking for is a vacancy tax hike, that the provincial government has a role to play and the city should work on getting a "fair deal".

Olivia Chow stands at a podium
Chow said a three per cent vacancy tax hike would generate $45 million, which Bradford said was an incorrect figure.

Cutting through the back and forth, Hunter held up the package for her own plan, saying Toronto has to solve its problems and that the city can't count on the province to help.

The debate was the second of three happening Wednesday. Earlier Wednesday, there was a debate on the arts.

Candidates were also meeting in Scarborough Wednesday night for a debate on that community.

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Saunders, Bradford go after Matlow on housing
After a question on delays in building affordable housing, the debate went off the rails slightly when Bradford and Saunders pressed Matlow on his past decisions on the topic.

Hunter answered the question by discussing the need for transitional shelter beds, saying people cannot be put back on the streets when shelter hotels are taken back for their original purpose, she said.

That led Matlow to explain there needs to be a clear, viable plan for those in shelter housing before they are pushed out.

"We cannot evict anyone in the shelter hotels today without knowing where they're going to go tomorrow. That's inhumane," said Matlow. He referenced controversial park encampment evictions that made headlines in 2021 due to violence and scenes of police forceably removing people from homes.

And while Chow mentioned creating an interactive map to indicate wait times to make the affordable housing application more transparent, Saunders told her she won't be able to do that without more taxes.

Instead the city should be more "inviting" to make builders want to develop, and leadership is needed to execute that, said Saunders.

Then, some cross talk started to distract the candidates from the question.

"I only hear about what you want to rip out, rather than what you want to build though," Matlow interjected.

Saunders replied: "You know what your problem is Josh?....You can get more bees to honey than salt my friend...you create the environment for no government to want to come to this city."

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Josh Matlow to Mark Saunders: 'Is Doug Ford the bee or the honey?'
"So is Doug Ford the bee or the honey, I don't understand. Did he serve you honey at the stag and doe?" quipped Matlow, a reference to Ford's stag-and-doe event for his daughter that saw major developers in attendance.

Bradford joined in, stating that Matlow has made a career off of "all talk, no action." He also accused Matlow of keeping a cap on density on an affordable housing unit in his ward. Matlow in turn accused Bradford of not increasing the density on sites in his own ward in a heated back and forth.

Students highlight worries about future in Toronto
A final section of questions from students highlighted the city's lack of affordability and concern from young people about whether they have a future in Toronto.

One student challenged candidates on whether living and working in Toronto is possible after graduation. Chow shared that a volunteer of hers is paying $1,600 to live with multiple roommates in a basement unit, even with a university education. And that's because the city has failed to build more housing, said Chow.

In closing statements, all candidates said the need for more affordable housing is pressing. However, Saunders and Bradford said "bureaucracy" has inhibited further housing construction.

Toronto has been struggling with housing affordability issues ---whether it be for purchasing or renting a home ---for years. Former Mayor John Tory, like many of the candidates, described the situation as a "crisis."

Toronto City Council, meanwhile, declared homelessness a public emergency on May 12.