Average Toronto family could pay nearly $700 more in local taxes, fees

Your taxes and fees could increase in Toronto's 2017 budgetby a substantial margin.

Radio-Canada has calculated the impact on an average, homeowning family with two children including one in a school daycare.

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The estimate is conservative, as property taxes vary depending on the assessment of a home and water bills are based on the family's consumption rate. The number of recreational activities is a minimum. The more children or activities, the higher the cost.

The unavoidable

Property taxes will increase by at least twoper centfor homeowners, plus an additional 0.5 per centper year with Mayor John Tory's proposed City Building Fund. That tax would increase every year for a period of fiveyears, to 2.5 per centin 2021.

According to the city's data, owners of a house valued at $587,471 will pay an average of $96 more in property taxes than last year totalling $2,841 in 2017. That doesn't include the school tax.

Water ratesincreasedby 5 per cent on Jan. 1, costing the average household about $46 more. Residents will also pay two per centmore for garbage collection an increase of about $7 per bin plus an additional $8 for the collection of large items.

Recreational programs

The proposed increase to recreational programs and summer camps offered by the city is 2.3 per cent. For example, enrolling two children in swimming lessons for threesessions during the year will cost about $11 more.

However, several sportsand artistic activities are subject to a second increase of 10 per cent, which is equivalent to an increase of $30 for the year. Six weeks of summer camp could cost about $112 more.

User fees for facilities like baseball and soccer fieldsand indoor rinks could increase between 2.3 and 42.2 per cent. Organizations would have to recover those increases by hikingregistration fees.

Daycare in schools

Earlier this month, Coun.Janet Davis urged the budget committee to back away from a proposal that would eliminate the annual $4.1 million in occupancy costs paid to local school boards that have daycares in their buildings. School board trustees have already pointed out those daycares about 350 schools currently get city money to help housedaycares would likely pass the increased costs on to parents.

Eliminating the municipal subsidy would mean some parents may have to pay up to $350 more per year per child.

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The city's budget committee is expected to wrap up discussions on the 2017 budget Tuesday. It will go before the executive committee Feb. 7.

The final budget goes to city council for final approvalFeb. 15.