The Canadian city of Toronto is considering implementing a new sort of tax that tries to solve the problem of stormwater management, which is often known as the rain tax.
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In Canada, efforts are underway to implement a 'rain tax' next month. The Canadian city of Toronto is considering implementing a new sort of tax to solve the issue of stormwater management.
According to Toronto City's official website, "The government, collaborating with water users as well as interested parties, is processing a "Stormwater Charge & Water Service Charge Consultation" initiative in a bid to tackle stormwater management, commonly known as 'rain tax'."
The authorities are collecting opinion from water users and interested parties on the potential adoption of a stormwater tax and a water service charge, and they are urging water users to complete a survey by April 30.
"Stormwater consists of rain and melting snow. Stormwater, when not absorbed into the ground, pours off hard surfaces, into roadways, down storm drains, and via a network of pipes that transport it into local waterways, according to the official government website.
Under this idea, the authorities intend to impose a'stormwater tax' on all property types. In addition, they will implement a scheme that provides stormwater fee credits to bigger properties, as well as administrative water costs known as a "water service charge."
The website stated that a high volume of rainwater can overflow the city's sewer system, resulting in flooded basements and affecting the surface water quality of the city's rivers, streams, and lakes.
Toronto households are already paying water utility rates that include stormwater management expenditures. According to the website, a stormwater fee is based on a property's influence on stormwater runoff to the City's storm sewer system, which is reflected by the amount of hard surface area on the property. Roofs, asphalt roads, parking lots, and concrete landscaping are all examples of hard surfaces.
The stormwater fee plan targets properties based on their influence on stormwater runoff into the city's storm sewer system, as assessed by the amount of hard surface area on the property.
