Toronto’s controversial new “rain tax” has dried up, less than a week before public consultations were to begin, as the city claims it needs more time to study the plan and align it with other initiatives.

Officially known as a stormwater charge, the so-called rain tax has been considered numerous times by the city since at least 2017. It proposes separating billing for homeowners and businesses into two components: a variable charge based on how much water a property uses, and a fixed stormwater charge, based on property size and the amount of hard surface — roofs, driveways, concrete, etc. — it contains.