Jennifer Keesmaat says she would work to implement a stormwater management charge as mayor to deal with ongoing flooding issues as a result of climate change.

The charge, which was proposed by city staff and shelved by Mayor John Tory and council in 2017, would be a dedicated fee separate from water bills. Property owners with more hard surfaces — such as commercial companies with large parking lots that cause water runoff, or homeowners with parking pads or driveways — would potentially be charged more.

“I have a plan to ensure that we are acting in a responsible way to ensure that our city is adapting to climate change, but also further building up resilience,” Keesmaat told a news conference on Monday morning at the campaign offices of Parkdale—High Park incumbent Gord Perks.

Perks, a longtime environmental activist, officially endorsed Keesmaat on Monday and received the mayoral candidate’s backing in return.

“This is what we must do to ensure that our cities will be livable in the future and to ensure that we are mitigating the deeply troubling impacts of climate change,” Keesmaat said.

The stormwater charge is not a new idea, she noted. It’s already in place in other cities, including Mississauga.

In May 2017, city staff recommended reporting back to council in early 2019 with a plan for a fixed fee, noting several areas for further consultation.

“You are better not to try to unscramble an egg,” Tory said during that debate.

He pushed to shelve the charge, suggesting there were insurmountable problems with it and noting the plan would not collect more money but simply collect it on a more equitable basis. He called that “adjusting bells and whistles.”

The dedicated charge was about more than how money is collected. It was to be designed as an incentive for property owners with lots of hard surfaces to better deal with stormwater management on-site in order to receive reductions in their fees while mitigating flooding.

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Tory said Monday he was confident that an infrastructure plan was in place to deal with storms going forward.

“Like on so many issues, I think Mr. Tory takes a very short-sighted view,” Keesmaat said, noting a recent UN report on climate change and the need to take steps immediately.

She said flooding needs to be prevented by investing and planning ahead of time. “We know that the cost of flooding in this city is astronomical.”

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She was Toronto’s chief planner for five years, known for being outspoken on what she felt was best for the city. Now, Jennifer Keesmaat is taking on John Tory to be mayor. Is she ready to serve as a politician instead of a bureaucrat?

Keesmaat’s plan also includes creating 100 kilometres of green streets every year, following road resurfacing work already underway. Those streets should be rebuilt with trees and gardens, she said, to help absorb stormwater and greenhouse gases.

As part of her plan to remake dangerous intersections, road safety measures should be “green by design,” she said.

Other infrastructure projects, such as a rain garden at Fairford and Coxwell Aves., should be expanded across the city, starting in the most “flood-prone” areas, Keesmaat added.

Her green city plan follows a string of recent announcements as the mayoral candidate, who trails Tory in the polls, tries to make up ground. The municipal election is Oct. 22.

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