A proposed hike to rink rental fees has some hockey organizations concerned about how the increased costs will impact Toronto families.
In the City of Toronto’s proposed 2015 operating budget, all recreation fees are set to go up 2.25 per cent to account for inflation but an additional five per cent hike is being proposed for ice permit fees.
Scott Oakman, executive director of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, says Toronto parents are going to have to pick up the additional costs, which may have an impact on whether the sport is affordable for everyone.
“Our programs are all operated as a not-for-profit program so there is only one person who is going to absorb that (cost) and it is users,” Oakman told CP24 Tuesday afternoon.
“We certainly heard from a number of people, organizations (who are) really concerned about the fact that Hockey Canada and the Ontario Hockey Federation and our member organizations are working really hard at saving money, keeping the costs as low as possible so that everyone in the community can afford to play and unfortunately we need cooperation from the municipalities to try to do the same thing.”
A 2014 study released by Toronto-based Solutions Research Group Consultants Inc. suggests that the average cost for a child to play hockey in Canada is $1,666.
According to Oakman, Toronto ice time is already among the most expensive in the GTA.
“This increase will certainly drive that over the top. Certainly we need to have some dialogue about that,” he said.
Mayor John Tory argued Tuesday that the city’s recreation user fees are in the “middle of the pack” for the GTA.
“I think people understand out there that if you don’t recover some of the cost from those who use the fields and the rinks then you have to apply that bill to taxpayers. None of it is free,” Tory told reporters Tuesday morning.
“I think the challenge is to achieve a healthy balance. The budget process helps us determine whether we have done that or not and that is why we are listening to people. They are coming, the hockey leagues and others, and having their say and I am watching what they have to say very carefully.”
