In the debate over the future of cities in general and the future of Toronto in particular, attention has so far focused on the crisis in physical infrastructure, including the need to improve public transit, build affordable housing, and keep roads and sewers in good repair. But equally important is the state of a city’s social and community infrastructure – including child care, public libraries, neighbourhood centres, old age homes, public health units, environmental protection initiatives, settlement support for immigrants and refugees, and recreation programs. These programs benefit families, help vulnerable individuals, build skills and community capacity, and contribute to the quality of life for all community members. This vital but often-overlooked part of Toronto’s infrastructure is struggling to survive in the face of budget cutbacks, which have led to understaffing, higher fees, long waiting lists, the elimination or reduction of programs, and the persistence of unequal levels of service in different parts of the City. If the City succeeds in securing new financial arrangements with senior levels of government to pay for physical infrastructure, it must commit to redirecting revenues from property taxes to restore social and community infrastructure. Those funds could be used to eliminate waiting lists and staff shortages, do away with user fees, restore cuts to essential services, and provide new or expanded programs required to ensure equitable access for all Toronto communities. At the same time, senior levels of government should share the costs of repairing Toronto’s fraying social and community infrastructure or allow the city new tax revenues to support social infrastructure. This paper estimates the costs of meeting pressing needs in selected areas of Toronto’s social infrastructure, including children’s services, parks and recreation, public health, public libraries, environmental protection, public shelters, and program grants to not-for-profit community agencies.

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This report was made possible by the funding assistance of the United Way of Greater Toronto and the organizational sponsorship of Toronto Neighbourhood Centres. Our thanks as well to the Centre for Urban and Community Studies (CUCS) at the University of Toronto for the production of this report as well as the research bulletin based on preliminary findings and analysis released at the People’s Summit in June 2002.