It’s time to address the root causes of violence and crime in our communities. Increased funding to policing has done little to stop violence and crime in the long-term, and time and time again we see spikes of violence and crime when funding is cut for programs that address the root causes.
Real, sustainable, and meaningful investment in social programs have proven more effective in reducing and preventing violence, and are considerably more cost-effective than policing and incarceration.
Road safety and traffic calming
- Fully fund, implement, and enforce the VisionZeroTO strategy
- Lower speeds on our roads by focusing on road re-design, making our roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and people with disabilities
- Make the most dangerous intersections safer by implementing raised intersections
- Build more bike lanes, to improve safety for both cyclists and motorists
- Close the Humber River Trail gap
- Ensure faster and more reliable snow removal in the winter
Investing in Children and Youth
- Invest in early childhood development by fighting for more affordable, accessible, culturally appropriate, and high quality early years and child care spaces
- Increase long-term sustainable investment in the development of youth-led, youth-driven, and community-based youth development programs and opportunities, and after-school recreational facilities
- Fight for more places for children and youth to gather, play, and/or create
Decent work and good local jobs
- Strengthen and expand the city’s “Fair Wage” policy to include a $20 minimum wage and 10 paid sick days for all workers employed by the City of Toronto, or by an employer contracted by the City of Toronto.
- Create good local jobs for youth, through community benefits agreements with public infrastructure programs and private developments
- Increase investment in workforce development programs that support youth experiencing systemic barriers and discrimination, with paid employment and valuable opportunities for career development at the City of Toronto
Community safety
- Advocate for non-police response and interventions in mental health crises, wellness checks, homelessness, and evictions by expanding programs like Community Crisis Support Service Pilot
- Advocate for the full and sustained funding of all prevention, intervention and risk mitigation strategies, and programs aimed at the roots of poverty and violence – such as the Community Healing Project, Restorative Justice Programs, and Integrated Supports for Justice-Involved Youth
- Advocate for the full and sustained expansion of hospital-based violence intervention programs city-wide, such as the BRAVE (Breaking the Cycle of Violence with Empathy) program
- Advocate for more transparency and accountability with the Toronto Police Services Board
- Increase funding for trauma-informed and culturally-responsive approaches to community safety, including full funding for a robust Gender Equity Strategy.