Toronto City Council and Permanent Residents

Ontario government: The logic is that if you live here and pay taxes, why should your citizenship determine whether you get a say in how your neighbourhood is run After all, voting in Ontario municipal elections is already open to non-resident citizens at least 18 years of age who merely rent or own property in a city, or are the spouse of someone who does, according to NOW Magazine. So why shouldn't a city actual residents get to cast ballots Toronto City Council endorsed the concept in 2013 and doubled down on it last fall, when they asked the Ontario government to look into giving permanent residents the right to vote in provincial elections as well. The idea of letting permanent residents vote in Toronto municipal elections has been kicking around for almost a decade. The provincial government, however, didn't include this change in its recent bill to update the Municipal Elections Act. To no one serious surprise, the Liberal-controlled committee voted it down. So when the bill was considered by the legislature Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, the NDP Percy Hatfield put forward a motion to add it in. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.