RPTV Weekly News Show Episode 65 (Oct 28th to Nov 3th) In this weekly news show hosted by RPTV reporters Fred Alvarado, Kedar Ahmed, and Jabin Haque, we present news that impacts on Toronto's Regent Park and the surrounding areas.

Episode 65 features segments on:
0:00 Intro;
01:23 Regent Park community celebrates togetherness at the 8th annual October Funfest;
10:47 All Saints Church Community Centre hosts an Open House event on October 28th;
22:27 A new development coming to Gerrard Street East;
23:18 Nelson Mandela Park Public School Families call for ceasefire in Gaza;
28:27 Allan Gardens encampment numbers show significant decline;
29:02 Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow launches 2024 Budget Consultations;
41:17 City of Toronto adopts plan to expand Toronto Community Crisis Service citywide;
50:59 Toronto Public Health launches COVID-19 and flu vaccination fall-winter campaign; 53:52 Events and Jobs in Regent Park community.

By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

This week’s lead story:
City of Toronto launches 2024 Budget Consultations

On November 1st, 2023 Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Budget Committee, launched the City of Toronto’s 2024 Budget Consultations.

From November 1st to 30th, Toronto residents are invited to share their ideas about the City’s 2024 Budget and Toronto’s future in virtual and in-person consultations and through an online survey.

Virtual consultations will take place on November 23, 28, and 30, while in-person consultations will take place on November 20, 21, 25, 27 and 29 respectively.

Mayor Chow and Toronto City Council will use the feedback to help inform decision making at the City and to support discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to secure a new deal for Toronto.

The results will be presented to the Budget Committee when the 2024 Budget launches on January 10, 2024 and will accompany the Budget Committee’s recommendations to Mayor Chow for the Mayor’s budget, that will be released by February 1, 2024.

In a press conference at City Hall, Mayor Olivia Chow said: “the more people feel they engage in the city, the better our services; the more they feel they have the power to make a difference, the better we are; the more they're going to be involved, the better we can deliver results for everyone. We want to hear from people that are also struggling to make ends meet. City services matter to people to keep life affordable.”

The financial challenges faced by the City are real and have an impact on the 2024 Budget and beyond. The City faces difficult financial decisions, including a projected $1.5 billion operating shortfall in the 2024 Budget and a $46.5 billion shortfall in the next ten years.