Toronto (ECN) - Not only are the residents of Toronto impacted by 24,000 city workers walking off the job today, but the tourists will feel the strike as well.
The residents will be faced by no garbage pickup and the advice to double bag their trash, which can be stored for now or dropped off at transfer stations free of charge, two of which will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The closing of Toronto Children's Services day care centres will affect working parents other than striking city workers.
Fortunately police, fire, TTC services, and long-term care facilities will not be affected, and ambulance service will be reduced but not have any effect on service.
How will this strike affect the tourists? Closings will include the golf courses, parks, tennis courts, civic squares, city pools, museums, art galleries, island ferries will stop running, some wedding facilities will be closed and permits for wedding photos will be cancelled in city parks.
Mayor David Miller said, "The recession has had a significant impact on the City of Toronto. The cost of providing services must be in balance with the revenues the city has available to pay the bills." Toronto's last civic strike in 2002 lasted two weeks.
