The City of Toronto’s $17 billion budget supports the operation of a broad range of programs and services, from affordable housing, public transit and community services to public libraries, parks and recreation, public health programs, and many more.
City funding supports the work required to advance our collective commitments to reconciliation, equity, and human rights.
The City budget also includes a 10-year plan to invest nearly $50 billion in the purchase, construction, and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure — from transit stations, lines, and vehicles, to roads, bridges, and bike lanes, and recreation centres and community spaces — essential to the delivery of City services.
Through the budget process, the Mayor and the Councillors decide which services to fund (or cut), how much funding to provide, and how to pay for those services. The choices that Toronto City Council make shape the quality of life of residents and how we experience the city every day. Many of us are deeply concerned about our city — a city in decline, where communities are struggling, services are absent or inadequate, and infrastructure is breaking down. City Council decisions on the budget can help to reverse the decline, or take us further down this path of degradation, dysfunction, and despair.
Residents have an important role in the budget process. Active community participation in the budget process is essential to achieving a better budget for our city. Fortunately, there is no shortage of opportunities to learn more and participate in the City budget process.
Here are some ways you can get involved.
Join Social Planning Toronto and Partners for Our 2024 City Budget Town Hall
For decades, Social Planning Toronto has been offering budget town halls that translate complex budget documents from a social and economic justice lens so community organizations, groups, and residents can more effectively shape the City budget.
Thursday, January 18
12:30 to 2:00 p.m.
Online
Speakers include:
- Sarah Buchanan, Toronto Environmental Alliance
- Diana Chan McNally, All Saints Church-Community Centre
- Lindsay Kretschmer, Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council
- Shelagh Pizey-Allen and August Pantitlán Puranauth, TTCriders
- Beth Wilson, Social Planning Toronto
- ACORN Toronto (speaker TBC)
- and more speakers to be confirmed
Please register to secure your spot for this virtual event.
If you require any support (e.g., ASL interpretation) to attend the event, please contact Israt Ahmed, [email protected]
Join Social Planning Toronto and Toronto Public Library for Two Budget-Related TPL Talks
Senior Community Planner Israt Ahmed will make sense of the proposed City Budget before a community discussion about what you would like to see prioritized.
1. Online event: Wednesday, January 17
7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Sign up for reminders and join the January 17 event here
2. In-branch event: Friday, January 19
6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library
Register here or call the branch at 416 393 7746
Take Part in Mayor Chow and Budget Committee Chair Carroll’s Telephone Town Halls
Join Mayor Olivia Chow and Budget Committee Chair Councillor Shelley Carroll at a telephone town hall. Share your feedback on the 2024 City budget. To participate, call 1 833 490 0778 (toll-free) at the time of the telephone town hall:
January 16
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
January 17
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
January 18
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Have Your Say at the City of Toronto Budget Committee’s Public Hearings/Deputations
Speak to Budget Committee on January 22 or 23 in person or by video conference.
To register to speak email [email protected] or call 416 392 4666. Please choose a preferred day and timeslot (see list below) and register to speak before 4:30 p.m., January 19. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions about how to join the meeting.
The meetings will stream live on the City Council YouTube channel.
City Hall, Committee Room 1, 100 Queen St. W.
Monday, January 22
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Scarborough Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 150 Borough Dr.
Monday, January 22
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Etobicoke Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 399 The West Mall
Tuesday, January 23
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
North York Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 5100 Yonge St.
Tuesday, January 23
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Learn How to Make a Deputation at a Training Session
Online Training on Speaking up for Better Transit in the City Budget with TTCriders
January 16
7 p.m.
Online
Details, register here
Budget Deputation 101 with SURJ (Standing Up For Racial Justice)
January 16
7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Online
Register here
Climate Budget Training with Toronto Climate Action Network and Climatefast
January 17
7pm to 8:30pm
Online
Details, register here
How to Speak at Budget Committee with Progress Toronto
January 18
6 p.m.
Online
Details, register here
One of five Progress Toronto budget trainings; see more below
Take Part in City Councillor and Community Budget Town Halls
Virtual Budget Town Hall with City Councillor Gord Perks
Ward 4 City Councillor and Budget Committee member Gord Perks is hosting a virtual budget town hall. The town hall will include a review of the proposed 2024 budget, discussion of investments and impacts on City services, and details about the City's budget process. Councillor Perks is hosting this meeting to hear from the community about this year’s City budget.
Monday, January 15
5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
To join the virtual meeting please use this link
Budget Information Session with City Councillor Alejandra Bravo
Join Councillor Alejandra Bravo's Budget Information Session to learn more about this year’s budget, ask questions, and provide your feedback. This information session is an opportunity to continue the conversation from the November Pre-Budget Community Meeting and inform the Councillor's advocacy at City Hall during the budget process.
A brief presentation will be given at 6:30 p.m. Staff from Financial Planning will also be on hand to answer questions.
Monday, January 15
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Joseph J. Piccininni Community Centre, 1369 St. Clair Ave. W. (west of Lansdowne)
Register here
Joint Budget Town Hall with City Councillors Ausma Malik and Chris Moise
Budgets are about priorities. Choosing our priorities for the year and decades ahead is something we should all be involved with. This is a key time to make your voice heard and fight for our collective vision for the City we want. Your feedback is a crucial part of the budget!
Closed captioning and ASL interpreters will be available. Please let us know if you require any additional accessibility accommodations to be able to participate.
Tuesday, January 16
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
City Hall (100 Queen St. W., Committee Room 4) or online
Register here to reserve your in-person spot, or join the online Zoom version here
City Budget 101 with Progress Toronto
January 16
6 p.m.
Details, register here
Virtual Budget Town Hall with City Councillor Paula Fletcher
Join Councillor Paula Fletcher and Mayor Olivia Chow for a virtual budget town hall. Anthony Ng, the City's Interim Executive Director of Financial Planning, will provide an overview of the 2024 budget, answer your questions, and hear your feedback.
January 25
7 p.m.
Online
Register here
Phone Bank for a Better Budget with Progress Toronto
January 25
5:30 p.m.
Details, register here
How to Speak with Your Local Politician on the Budget with Progress Toronto
January 30
6 p.m.
Details, register here
City Council Watch Party: Budget Edition with Progress Toronto
February 14
9:30 a.m.
Details, register here
Check our budget events page regularly for updates on newly announced events.
Have a budget event coming up? Let us know! Contact [email protected].
Did you miss a budget event? Find recordings from SPT-organized events here, including:
- A Deeper Dive into Revenue Tools with David Macdonald, Senior Economist from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, and
- A City Budget Primer with August Puranauth and Kailin Chan from TTCriders.
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