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Toronto Community Cultural Centre A Home For Creative Opportunity
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Just what exactly IS the Toronto Dollar? Okay, what is it? The Toronto Dollar is the real thing, legal and taxable and accepted by participating retailers. Who needs it? You do. We all do. Not only does it work like Bank of Canada money in that it will put food on your table, but -- and this is the important difference -- it generates ten per cent of its face value for community projects. Where did the idea come from? So it's not original. Community currency turns up as the Ithaca Hour in the U.S., as the Sel in France, as Tlalocs in Mexico, as LETS in many countries. It's an idea whose time has come. In Toronto a volunteer group, the Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc, has been planning our homegrown version since September 1997. And on December 5, 1998, the Toronto Dollar was launched in the St. Lawrence Market, by our enthusiastic Mayor Mel Lastman. What's in it for me? A safer healthier place to live, for one thing. Most of us would like to see homeless families find food; low-income people find work and communities made stronger. Community projects cost money, and so far, there hasn't been an easy, practical way of raising that kind of money. The Toronto Dollar you use creates it. How does that happen? A drop at a time makes the ocean. A pebble at a time makes the land. A Toronto Dollar at a time builds a better neighbourhood. Collectively, we make a difference. When you exchange your drab old Canadian dollar for a bright new Toronto Dollar, ten percent goes to The Toronto Dollar Community Fund for community projects. You make a donation to the community and don't lose a thing because you can spend your Toronto Dollars, dollar for dollar, at participating businesses and with anyone who will take them. Ninety percent of your Canadian money is put in the Toronto Dollar Reserve Trust fund to back the Toronto Dollar for registered merchants who may want to cash in their Toronto Dollars. It's only registered businesses that can cash in and they get back ninety Canadian dollars for every hundred Toronto Dollars. Of course, if they don't want to cash in, they can keep using the money dollar for dollar with other participating businesses or in the community. Where can I spend Toronto Dollars? Tomorrow who knows! But right now the main focus is the retailers and businesses of the St. Lawrence Market area and Gerrard Square Mall in Riverdale. What does Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc get out of it? Not a red cent. This is a volunteer community project started by St Lawrence Works, a coalition of business and cultural groups interested in putting its collective shoulder to the wheel to help community initiatives. Every penny of the Community Fund goes to help the community. How do Community Organizations benefit? Anyone can make donations of Toronto Dollars to a favourite charity, but a committee of Toronto Dollar Community Projects Inc. decides how the Community Fund will be distributed. The first beneficiary of the fund was Out of the Cold, a program that helps homeless people. Over 25,000 Toronto Dollars have been given as grants to community organizations. Any participating community and charitable organization can receive a hundred and ten Toronto Dollars for every hundred Canadian dollars at the Toronto Dollar office, Gooderham Flatiron Building, Suite 501, 49 Wellington St. East, Phone 416 361-0466. What about Counterfeiters? Counterfeiters will find Toronto Dollars unappealing. The Canadian Bank Note Company (the printer for Canadian dollars) has printed Toronto Dollars with special paper and a line, which cannot be duplicated. Furthermore, serial numbers allow the notes to be tracked. Counterfeiting Toronto Dollars is illegal and punishable under the law as forgery. What about the expiry date? Toronto Dollars can be exchanged at par for newly issued Toronto Dollars before and after the expiry period. How are operating costs paid? Toronto Dollar Inc uses the interest earned on the Reserve Fund to help cover overhead costs. Other costs are paid for through private donations and fundraising events. How can I earn Toronto Dollars? Accept Toronto Dollars for your home based business, your goods and services. Advertising is available in The Toronto Dollar Voice (416-927-0150). You can also advertise on the Toronto Dollar bulletin board in the lobby at the St. Lawrence market. How can I participate?
Where can I get Toronto Dollars?
How can I find out more? Visit the Toronto Dollar web
site: www.torontodollar.com
What is Toronto FreeNet? One of the most distinctive qualities of the Toronto FreeNet is that it is a service for and by its community. Unlike commercial internet sites, the content and direction of services are driven by the community. It literally will not work without you. So how can you offer your support? more >>
What is C.A.P.? The Community Access Program is a federal government initiative administered by Industry Canada. It provides support for public computer access to the Information Highway via the Internet at the local community level. The overall objective is to provide all Canadians with affordable, convenient access to the global, knowledge-based economy and the opportunity to use its technologies. Canada has a strong base on which to build access links to the global, knowledge-based economy. In collaboration with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, the private sector and not-for-profit organizations, CAP will help to establish up to 10 000 public Internet access sites in rural, remote and urban communities across Canada. http://cap.ic.gc.ca
(Canadian, bilingual)
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