“Approximately fifty percent of Toronto residents are renters (approximately fourty percent in ward 29) . Yet, the City of Toronto has declared war on tenants. Did you know that rental buildings that have more than seven units are taxed at a punitive rate? If you are a tenant in a one bedroom apartment, your unit may be taxed at approximately the same rate as many detached houses. Sure, your landlord pays the tax. But the landlord passes the tax on to you as part of your rent. The tenant culture has always blamed landlords for high rents. The city of Toronto is responsible for your high rents. Why should tenants (who have on average less money) pay higher property taxes than many home owners (who have statistically more money)? During my life I have been homeowner, small landlord and a tenant.
Check out John Richardson Toronto Ward 29 candidate on YouTube talking about this problem.
For the differential in rates see:
http://www.toronto.ca/taxes/property_tax/tax_rates.htm
For more information on this issue see:
http://www.ontariotenants.ca/taxes/toronto-property-taxes.phtml”
______________________________________________________________________
East York Observer Interview of John Richardson – October 27, 2006
By LAURA BRADLEY
Toronto-Danforth candidate John Richardson wants East Yorkers to take a greater interest in their community.
“It amazes me that, when it comes to city politics, the overwhelming majority of people don’t vote,” he said. “I really want people to wise up and take control of [their community].”
Richardson has lived in Ward 29 since 1984. He has been involved in a number of small business ventures, one of which was as a small-scale landlord. He thinks the way tenants are taxed by the city is horrible and he’d like to see that changed.
“If I could achieve one thing it would be to get the tax differential changed,” he said, “so people who have a lease…aren’t incorrectly taxed at the highest rate.”
Coming from the vantage point of an independent, Richardson believes that candidates should not be dependent on major political parties for support and funding.
“We’re dealing with local issues, neighbourhood issues,” he said. “I don’t really see how the organization of a political party working on a national level or provincial level has much to do with local politics.”
Richardson said that East York residents have lost faith in city council, because of the amalgamation a few years back and also because there is no evidence that their votes are making a difference. He wants to start working for them.
“If elected, I wouldn’t see my vote as my vote, I would see it as the trustee of their vote and certainly hope that they’d be interested in telling me what they think that vote should be.”
Vote John Richardson - Independent Judgment For Toronto Danforth - Ward 29! 
Pingback: Toronto’s Tenant Tax – Keeping Toronto’s rents high! | Ward 29 – Toronto Tenants
Pingback: How Toronto tenants subsidize the property taxes of single family home owners | Landlord Relief – Residential Property Management – Toronto GTA