Council Approves Property Tax Hike and Temporarily Restricts New Teslas for Taxi Grant Program
On the day the council officially approved a 6.9% property tax hike, a motion was made to "temporarily restrict" new Teslas from a grant program designated for vehicles used as taxis or limousines.
The Tesla motion, one of three introduced by Mayor Olivia Chow, passed with a vote of 20-4. This motion specifically linked the exclusion of Teslas to economic relations between Canada and the U.S., with the restriction running from March 1 "until such time as the negative U.S. trade action has ended."
Councillors Brad Bradford, Stephen Holyday, James Pasternak, and Michael Thompson voted against the Tesla proposal.
In addition to the Tesla motion, Chow initiated adjustments to the budget, which included initiatives to promote the use of local food in school programs and to ensure "very, very clear service improvements and budget savings," as the mayor stated, in response to a critical audit of the parks department.
