Mayoral Candidate Mitzie Hunter releases platform with a focus on Six Priorities to Fix the Six

BY PAUL JUNOR

It was not a surprise when long-time MPP Mitzie Hunter decided to throw her hat into the mayoral election battle, which is underway to decide the next mayor of the largest city in Canada. There are currently about 102 candidates who have registered to run in the June 26^th, by-election. This by-election will be the most expensive in the history of Toronto and is expected to cost over $30 million. In many ways it will serve to define Toronto for the next four years.

Hunter announced her resignation on May 10^th, 2023, to run for mayor of Toronto. She has been an MPP for almost ten years. During that time, she served as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Community and Social Services, Minister of Education and Associate Minister of Finance, responsible for the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan and Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development. She served as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 2022-2023.

“As a proud immigrant to this city, I have grown up, worked and lived in every corner of Toronto. I understand how important it is to make sure that voices across each part of the city are heard-not just the core: the status quo. My main goal is to make certain that Toronto is a city that works for everyone-that means there are many things, large and small and everything in between, that must be fixed.”

On Thursday, May 25^th, 2023, Hunter released a 71-page comprehensive fully-funded detailed plan that features Six Priorities to Fix the Six. It has a balanced budget and a new and revolutionary progressive model for property tax increases ensuring moderate and lower-income homeowners pay a reduced level. She states, “Toronto is at a turning point that must not be a breaking point. People tell me they are worried that the city they love is on the brink of serious decline. I want to lead Toronto’s revival. I have a plan to do exactly that.”

Her plan shows how she will pay for every action to Fix the Six. The lists of the priorities are:

• Affordable housing and renter protection
• Getting Toronto moving
• Safety, homelessness and mental health
• Improved city services
• A green, vibrant city
• Transparency in governance and budget

On Monday, May 29^th, 2023, Hunter issued a five-point plan to enhance and improve neighbourhood parks. She presented a fully costed platform that includes a balanced budget plan. She states, “Parks are the heart of our city. For too long, they’ve been under-invested. My plan will improve and enhance our parks.”  Highlights of the plan include the following:

• Add trees through the city’s neighbourhood shade tree program and reverse recent cuts to the tree maintenance budget
• Ensure enhanced litter, park bin and street litter bin collection
• Winterize park washrooms to keep them open year-round; Make sure water fountains are clean and operating
• Provide greater local control over our park programming
• Allow people to drink alcohol responsibly in parks across the city

On Thursday, May 31st, 2023 Mitzie announced a six-point game plan for working with the provincial and federal government in order to ensure that Toronto’s multi-billion-dollar budget gap is closed. The details can be seen on her social media platforms and include:

• Ending double transit fares
• Leading a coalition of mayors seeking one point of the HST
• Securing funding for refugee-related costs
• Building more transits
• Recouping health expenses
• Securing equitable federal support for new affordable housing