Economic disasters are emergencies & Toronto needs to treat it that way.
That was a central thought as we designed our anti-poverty platform.
We can’t solve poverty, but we’ll fight for you even harder than Tory fights for Rogers.
<thread>🧵👇 #topoli #LetsFixIt
That was a central thought as we designed our anti-poverty platform.
We can’t solve poverty, but we’ll fight for you even harder than Tory fights for Rogers.
<thread>🧵👇 #topoli #LetsFixIt
2/ the human & economic toll of poverty in TO is unbelievable.
Some 🤯 data
… human:
- over 10k unhoused people
- adding 22/people per week
- avg deaths: 3.5/week (+40%)
- median age at death: 38
economic:
- $5.5 b annual cost
- $600m city has spent on homelessness & housing
Some 🤯 data
… human:
- over 10k unhoused people
- adding 22/people per week
- avg deaths: 3.5/week (+40%)
- median age at death: 38
economic:
- $5.5 b annual cost
- $600m city has spent on homelessness & housing
3/ we’ll be short 1000s of shelter beds this winter. It will cost people their lives.
We need to act fast, so we’ll erect temporary crisis disaster tents where people can get a bed, shower, & warm meal.
This isn’t a permanent solution but we need to prevent people from dying.
We need to act fast, so we’ll erect temporary crisis disaster tents where people can get a bed, shower, & warm meal.
This isn’t a permanent solution but we need to prevent people from dying.
4/ we’ll decriminalize poverty. Toronto spent $2m evicting encampments, directed by the city.
I agree, the park is no place to sleep — it’s not fair to residents, housed or in housed. Is spending a year’s worth of rent to evict each resident a good use of money? Exactly.
I agree, the park is no place to sleep — it’s not fair to residents, housed or in housed. Is spending a year’s worth of rent to evict each resident a good use of money? Exactly.
5/ Speaking of the money we waste, let’s talk about that.
Our auditor general, my personal superhero, found we overpaid $13m to hotels over the past 2 years to shelter people.
She estimates it was the equivalent of 50k hotel room nights.
One of those fees? Vacancy. 🙄
Our auditor general, my personal superhero, found we overpaid $13m to hotels over the past 2 years to shelter people.
She estimates it was the equivalent of 50k hotel room nights.
One of those fees? Vacancy. 🙄
6/ we paid for empty hotel rooms to be used as shelters, while people slept in parks.
No one cares. These kleptocrats don’t understand how hard you work for money, they take it for granted.
The only area they can’t find money for is the auditor. We’ll fix it.
No one cares. These kleptocrats don’t understand how hard you work for money, they take it for granted.
The only area they can’t find money for is the auditor. We’ll fix it.
7/ poverty is an individual issue, and there are immediate & long term issues to address.
We need a system that helps with individual plans, that works not just to put a patch on the issue — but to help people get out of it.
That’s why we’ll streamline social services.
We need a system that helps with individual plans, that works not just to put a patch on the issue — but to help people get out of it.
That’s why we’ll streamline social services.
8/ one of the biggest issues we heard from low income residents is they can’t access, or don’t know, resources exist.
One person said they couldn’t afford home internet. They didn’t know there was a program for that.
Another didn’t know we have a transit program.
One person said they couldn’t afford home internet. They didn’t know there was a program for that.
Another didn’t know we have a transit program.
9/ our streamlined social services platform will be a portal to help qualify & track (with your permission), people through the various phases of help.
Rather than using a firehouse of cash, we can direct it to more high impact areas. Skill upgrade? Medical? Childcare?
Rather than using a firehouse of cash, we can direct it to more high impact areas. Skill upgrade? Medical? Childcare?
10/ until people understand what resources are available, & we understand what needs a bigger investment/what doesn’t, we’re not going to make much progress.
Let’s not waste cash on band aid solutions that end up costing more long term, and instead fund areas that need it.
Let’s not waste cash on band aid solutions that end up costing more long term, and instead fund areas that need it.
11/ which brings me to my next point — food insecurity. 1 in 5 Canadian have skipped a meal recently due to budget, and the lines at food banks are rapidly expanding.
Some of Toronto’s oldest food banks have said they’ve never seen anything like this. Let’s fix it.
Some of Toronto’s oldest food banks have said they’ve never seen anything like this. Let’s fix it.
12/ We’ll start with the fact 🇨🇦 is one of the only countries without a national food program for students.
About 400k kids now depend on food banks. This is a systematic contributor to poverty.
Kids with proper nutrition:
- perform better
- are healthier
- miss less class
About 400k kids now depend on food banks. This is a systematic contributor to poverty.
Kids with proper nutrition:
- perform better
- are healthier
- miss less class
13/ so we’re going to feed them — a breakfast & lunch program for all kids, regardless of income.
We’ll use a commissary model like quick serve restaurants to prepare low cost, nutritious, climate friendly meals that support 🇨🇦’s agriculture.
Minimal on-site work.
We’ll use a commissary model like quick serve restaurants to prepare low cost, nutritious, climate friendly meals that support 🇨🇦’s agriculture.
Minimal on-site work.
14/ don’t worry, it won’t be refined junk food.
Our volunteer helping with this is @roger_yang_to, who runs some of the country’s best and most innovative restaurants.
He’s not a fan of refined foods either, and loves the challenge.
Our volunteer helping with this is @roger_yang_to, who runs some of the country’s best and most innovative restaurants.
He’s not a fan of refined foods either, and loves the challenge.
15/ happier, fed kids, whose parents will also have a little more time to deal with the painful City created over the past 8 years.
But wait, there’s more. Ultimately we’ll move towards having our commissaries produce food for meal centers, an updated “soup kitchens.”
But wait, there’s more. Ultimately we’ll move towards having our commissaries produce food for meal centers, an updated “soup kitchens.”
16/ Clean, and friendly cafeterias around the city where anyone can drop by for a no frills, optionally paid meal. Got a couple bucks? Help us fund the operation. Don’t? Don’t worry about it.
Eating shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be cheap & accessible to everyone.
Eating shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be cheap & accessible to everyone.
17/ “this sounds like socialism. How will you pay for it?”
Using capitalism, it’s just not great for real estate developers. We’ll build city-owned mixed use spaces, and use the commercial rents to help offset the costs.
This will *lower* the tax burden long term.
Using capitalism, it’s just not great for real estate developers. We’ll build city-owned mixed use spaces, and use the commercial rents to help offset the costs.
This will *lower* the tax burden long term.
18/ We assembled a team of high performing entrepreneurs & activists ready to volunteer to turn Toronto into something the world has never seen.
Want an affordable, efficient, equitable, innovative, & corruption-free TO? Vote & tell a friend.
Full plan.
stephenpunwasi.com/campaign/platf…
Want an affordable, efficient, equitable, innovative, & corruption-free TO? Vote & tell a friend.
Full plan.
stephenpunwasi.com/campaign/platf…
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