Study to determine if Scarborough is getting its fair share

DAVID NICKLE
May. 8, 2007

Is Scarborough getting a fair shake in the City of Toronto?

For years, councillors and residents from the east-end former municipality have suspected Scarborough is not getting the resources it needs. But hard data either supporting this or refuting it has been scant.

This week, Ward 40 (Scarborough-Agincourt) Councillor Norm Kelly and two University of Toronto students are aiming to answer that question.

Kelly, who chairs the Scarborough Community Council and has been using that role to boost the community, hopes that within eight months there will be some answers.

"Scarborough's about a third of the land mass of Toronto, I say a quarter of the population," said Kelly. "So whenever money has to be spent, we should be getting somewhere between a quarter and a third? Or are there other variables like roads for example. Are our roads newer than roads in the former city of Toronto. So it's not without its nuances."

However, Kelly said he suspects that all too often those nuances are political."The one thing I've never liked is initiatives coming down from the staff - (saying), for example, 'We're going to build the first skateboard park. It is going to be built in David Shiner's ward'," Kelly said.

"Did you go out and say what area of the city has the highest concentration of kids in an age group? When I ask that question they say 'Well yes, (but) that's where it's going to go.'"

Kelly negotiated a deal with the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus to have two placement students sent to Kelly's office for four months - and possibly eight - to conduct a study of city expenditures and whether Scarborough is getting its fair share.

The students, Katherine Chan and Morinda So, started the job Monday.According to Chan, who is studying economics and management studies, the first step is to decide exactly what the parameters are. "It's very overwhelming, but first we have to look at the parameters and decide what parameters we want to use," she said.

"We're looking at the service provisions in terms of Scarborough. We're not just looking in terms of service, we want a more general view. What does fair share mean in terms of sociological and economic matters?"