"I will lobby the federal and provincial governments to reduce population growth in the GTA by rolling back immigration from 500,000 to under the 250,000 level of 2015, maybe to 150,000 a year, plus getting more money and other support to give Toronto the funding it needs and more control over how the city is run."
Brian Graff
Question from TRREB
Q1: In your opinion, what are the two greatest challenges facing the City of Toronto today?
candidate response
I actually have a real estate license and you might not like this answer – our biggest problem is (1) too much population growth from insanely high immigration, combined with (2) indaequate infrastructure (roads, parks, transit, etc.) from the high population growth of the GTA since 1990. Growth is pushing up housing prices while pushing down wages and incomes – we are killing the goose that laid the golden egg – economic growth should drive population growth. See my op-ed in the Star.
Q2: If elected, will you support and accelerate the commitments made in the 2023 Housing Action Plan, including ending municipal exclusionary zoning by-laws and policies in Toronto that will allow and encourage more medium-density housing and purpose-built rental units?
No
Q3: If elected, would you support reducing approval times and other red tape barriers that limit the building of new housing in Toronto, thereby speeding up development?
No
Q4: If elected, would you push for more investment in critical infrastructure, such as transportation, to facilitate growth and housing by finding creative ways to secure funding from the provincial and federal governments?
Yes
Q5: If elected, would you commit to capping municipal costs added to new housing in order to limit further affordability erosion, and instead work together with the higher levels of government in finding new and sustainable funding mechanisms?
No
Q6: The City’s biggest and main source of revenue is property taxes. What would you support by way of annual property tax increases to maintain and/or improve the current services and programs the City provides?
Unsure
Q7: If elected, would you be willing to explore reform or adjustments to the Municipal Land Transfer Tax in Toronto? This might include increasing the first-time buyer rebate and indexing the MLTT rebate and tax thresholds to account for housing price inflation.
Yes
Q8: If you become the next mayor of Toronto, what is your top priority that you want to accomplish in the first 100 days in office?
Lobby the federal and provincial governments to reduce population growth in the GTA by rolling back immigration from 500,000 to under the 250,000 level of 2015, maybe to 150,000 a year, pluse getting more money and other support to give Toronto the funding it needs and more control over how the city is run. Get Ford to stop micromanaging the city.
If elected, will you use the “strong mayor powers” to modify the budget to pay for your key priorities?
No