The only effective recovery for Toronto is inclusive recovery
Thu., Oct. 29, 2020 | 3 min. read
Toronto is navigating uncharted waters thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has exacerbated many issues that we were already facing, putting our healthcare system and its workers under immense pressure and revealing the need for unprecedented social and economic interventions. Racialized Canadians, especially Black and Indigenous communities, have been harder hit and the barriers and racism they faced before the lockdown have not lifted. In fact, the pain has probably deepened.
Like many large Canadian centres, the pandemic has also challenged cities differently. The City of Toronto is currently facing a $1.5 billion budget shortfall and there are many tough choices ahead.
To truly recover from COVID-19, Toronto needs to focus on building an equitable economy and ensure that the public, private and not-for-profit sectors transform their leadership to better reflect those they serve.
Building a more equitable economy means creating better opportunities for our most vulnerable residents. This includes investing in childcare to give women and other parents the means to participate in the workforce. It means removing systemic barriers that Black and Indigenous Canadians face at their jobs and in everyday life.
