There is a growing acknowledgement at City Hall that for a fiscally sustainable Toronto we must begin to look at new revenue tools. Much of the discussion has revolved around the important fiscal and structural issues with the budget and the ability of diverse taxing options to help us build a healthy city. The significant public health impacts of some of the revenue tools contemplated has received little discussion by comparison.
There are a number of revenue tools available to the City of Toronto which have the power to improve public health. This think piece aims to increase the profile of these public health benefits and argue for their inclusion as central criteria for evaluating revenue tools alongside considerations such as potential revenue and the effect on the business community and our health.