An effective recovery for Toronto must be inclusive
Toronto is navigating uncharted waters thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has exacerbated many issues that we were already facing, putting our healthcare system and its workers under immense pressure and revealing the need for unprecedented social and economic interventions. Racialized Canadians, especially Black and Indigenous communities, have been harder hit and the barriers and racism they faced before the lockdown have not lifted. In fact, the pain has probably deepened.
Like many large Canadian centres, the pandemic has also challenged cities differently. The City of Toronto is currently facing a $1.5-billion budget shortfall and there are many tough choices ahead.
To truly recover from COVID-19, Toronto needs to focus on building an equitable economy and ensure that the public, private and not-for-profit sectors transform their leadership to better reflect those they serve.
Building a more equitable economy means creating better opportunities for our most vulnerable residents. This includes investing in child care to give women and other parents the means to participate in the workforce. It means removing systemic barriers that Black and Indigenous Canadians face at their jobs and in everyday life.
The success of all young people also needs to be at the centre of this effort. This group has seen their job opportunities severely upended by the pandemic, with an unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 hitting a record high of 30 per cent in May and June.
The way through this turbulence can only be found if all sectors come together throughout the Toronto region. Our economy is a regional economy, with Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton and other urban centres in the Greater Golden Horseshoe interdependent and deeply connected.
CivicAction is committed to building an urban region that is more inclusive and prosperous for all. Our purpose is to boost civic engagement and build better cities.
We believe that every sector, community and person needs to be part of the region’s rebuilding. CivicAction was there to help in the SARS recovery and once again, we are here to catalyze people toward a common purpose: A more equitable and inclusive recovery.
In June, we held our virtual Re:Action Forum that brought together leaders — both rising and established and from all walks of life — to discuss what should constitute a regional recovery that’s focused on a more inclusive future.
This week, Toronto City Council adopted City Manager Chris Murray’s report on how best to address post-pandemic recovery. Building on the 83 recommendations submitted by Dr. David Mowat and Saad Rafi, along with further additions by city councillors, what has resulted is a pivot to a more inclusive partnership model. This model is likely more capable at addressing systemic issues like racism. It calls for an all-handson-deck effort — and not just the usual hands. I am hopeful that the city’s whole-community approach is the correct first step.
Now the really hard work begins. Finding common ground on the means and ways, and more importantly, the accountability to pivot to a more inclusive city-region. The momentum needed to get to a more equitable and inclusive Toronto region can only be achieved if everyone works together. Getting involved in efforts to solve the needs of your community is one way to start. Civic engagement is a key condition to an economy that benefits our most vulnerable, and ensures our future is a more inclusive one.
Leslie Woo is CEO of CivicAction. She has over 25 years of experience building sustainable communities and shaping urban growth in greater Toronto through the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.