DAmayor.ca

In 2023

 Darren Atkinson is throwing his hat in the ring and plans on being the first to register as candidate for Mayor of Toronto

Please check back once the race begins to see my platform as it has evolved from last year.  To get a good understanding of where I stand though, you can look at my "Darren's Dozen" from last year until then. 

#DAmayor

We will rebuild the core services of Toronto together in a fiscally sound way so that every day life is just not about financial survival. 

A complete and comprehensive platform will be fully unveiled by April 15 and will roll out slowly until then.  

1. Seniors Assistance  

Grant property tax breaks to seniors who own their own home up to the full value of property tax when they invest in upgrades that allow them to stay in their homes. I am currently investigating the seniors in hardship as the result of the 2011 change to the application of taxes on some  City of Toronto housing. 

2. Advocate and Provide Higher Education for Front Line Officers

Provide funding to train existing officers in negotiation, crisis de-escalation strategy and mental health awareness.  Deprioritise times of hardship for the general public, there is no need to emphasis shame lists that push officers to issue  all manner financially punitive tickets to the public If you want to get the public on the side beat officers, as politicians, we need to quit  asking police to act as proxy tax collectors for the government.    

3. Foreign Property Investment Tax 

Create a city levy of 20% to reflect the real financial headroom foreign investor corporations receive from US dollars.

4. Create an Indigenous Park     

Create an Indigenous park, which will be curated and guided by Indigenous communities as we seek reconciliation. For example, Ontario Places' West Island would be a possible location to facilitate the priovacu adn isiolation ned fior,.  ,ocatioin and is now nort in 

5. Financial Support for Neighborhoods 

Provide resident and community approved micro loans for small business and non profit organizations that serve the local community and anchor neighborhoods in each ward.

6. Workers Rights and Good Corporate Citizenship  

The money-making gig economy needs to share in the responsibility toward citizens, workers and the safety and welfare of all people of Toronto as good corporate citizens. 

7. Rent Control Through Permit Control  

Control rents on a building permit level so that developers must be good corporate citizens and replace the same number of low cost units they tear down while profiting from the increased density granted.

8. Value for Your Tax Dollars  

Introduce performance clauses, including timelines, in contracts we issue subcontractors and pursue penalties if not met. 

9. Traffic and Transit Reform 

Harmonize all street-level TTC vehicles to be one type of bus (electric or hybrid) to lower our carbon footprint while we phase out streetcars except tourist lines as San Francisco has. 

10. Uniform Public Waste Management 

Make garbage pickup across the City uniformly run by the City of Toronto.

11. End of Term Motion with Integrity 

As the chair of council, the mayor needs to ensure there is not a disproportionate number of approvals and permits issued in the months leading up to municipal elections.  

12. Harder Negotiation with the Province

With the savings outlined in my platform, we will have more power to negotiate with the Province.