2026 City Budget Resources

Looking for our City Budget Watch Blog? Click here.

About the Budget

Through the budget process, Toronto City Council makes important decisions about critical programs, services, and infrastructure — what it’s going to fund (adequately or not), if it’s going to cut programs or services, if it’s going to freeze budgets (given rising program costs, a budget freeze is, in effect, a service cut), and how it’s going to pay for these vital programs. These decisions are arguably the most important that Council makes all year — they tell us whether Council is going to move the city forward and address critical issues in our communities, or not. Budget decisions reveal the priorities of City Council and shape the quality of life of residents and communities across the city throughout the year.

The tax-supported budget includes operating budgets (to pay for the operation of programs and services) and capital budgets (to pay for infrastructure, such as purchasing buses or streetcars, or building a new library or community centre). The tax-supported budget includes all City service areas except for the Toronto Parking Authority (Green P parking), Toronto Water, and solid waste management (garbage and recycling), which are included in the rate-supported budget. Tax-supported budgets cover everything else—housing and homeless services, child care, public transit, recreation, libraries, Toronto police, emergency services, community services provided by nonprofits, and much more).

The tax-supported budget is funded through property taxes, federal and provincial funding, TTC fares, user fees and fines, the Municipal Land Transfer Tax, and other sources. In contrast, rate-supported services are paid for through user fees, including revenues from water and garbage fees and parking fees at Green P lots.

Downloadable Budget Explainer

We've created a downloadable pdf in partnership with Albion Neighbourhood Services that outlines what the City Budget does—and doesn't—fund. Click on the images to enlarge.

Full PDF

Text version

Key Budget Dates

You can watch all of these meetings live, or check out video recordings after the meetings, on Council’s YouTube channel. All meetings start at 9:30 a.m.

Budget Dates 

  • January 8: Budget Committee Launch.
  • January 14 to 16: Budget Committee Review.
  • January 20 and 21: Budget Committee Public Presentation. Budget Committee meetings will offer a chance for Public Hearings/Deputations (opportunities for people to share their ideas, perspectives, have their say with members of the Budget Committee). If you would like to speak to the Budget Committee on January 20 or 21, further details (including times, locations, and registration information) will be released in January 2026. 
  • January 23: Budget Committee Wrap Up. The Budget Committee will have its final wrap-up meeting and make a recommendation to the Mayor, rather than to the Executive Committee or City Council.
  • February 1: Mayor's Proposed Budget Release. By this date the Mayor is required to propose a budget to members of Council and the City Clerk. No meeting is required for this to happen.
  • February 10: City Council (Special). Council’s final vote on the Budget.

Speak to Budget Committee

Town Halls

Join Mayor Olivia Chow and Budget Committee Chair Shelley Carroll at a telephone town hall. To participate, call 1-833-380-0687 (toll free) to join at the time of the town hall:

January 14
7 to 8:30 p.m.

January 15
7 to 8:30 p.m. 

Budget Committee's Public Hearings/Deputations

Speak to Budget Committee on January 20 and 21 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 by 4:30 p.m. the day before the meeting. Registered speakers will be provided with instructions about how to join the meeting.

Learn how to make a deputation by watching a recording of our Deputation Workshop. 

Access our Deputation Template. 

The meetings will stream live on the City Council YouTube channel.

City Hall – 2nd Floor, Committee Room 1
(100 Queen St. W.)
Tuesday, January 20
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards

North York Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(5100 Yonge St.)
Tuesday, January 20
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards

Scarborough Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(150 Borough Dr.)
Wednesday, January 21
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards

Etobicoke Civic Centre – Council Chamber
(399 The West Mall)
Wednesday, January 21
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6 p.m. onwards

Budget Committee Review Schedule

Schedule and details will be released in early 2026.

City of Toronto Budget Resources

Check out the City of Toronto budget webpage, updated regularly through the budget process:
www.toronto.ca/budget

Access City budget notes, briefing notes, presentations, and related budget documents.

Social Planning Toronto Budget Resources

Upcoming budget events: 

Budget 101

This workshop provides an overview of the City of Toronto's budget process and effective advocacy strategies.
January 7, 7:00 - 9 p.m.
Completed. | Watch a recording. 

City Budget Deputations 101

This workshop will explore how you can make your voice heard at Budget Committee Public Presentation meetings.
January 14, 7:00 - 9 p.m.
Completed. | Watch a recording. | Access our Deputation Template. 

Housing Advocacy Workshop

Our Housing Advocacy Workshop, in collaboration with community partners, will support you in understanding key municipal housing and tenant programs, policies, and advocacy initiatives.
January 16, 10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Register

Budget Town Hall 

SPT's Senior Researcher and other experts will provide a community perspective on the City’s newly released budget.
January 19, 2:00 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Register

Check back later for upcoming budget events hosted by Social Planning Toronto.

Recordings of past events, including A Deeper Dive Into Revenue Tools, A City Budget Primer, our Housing Deputation Workshop, and our 2025 Budget Town Hall, can be viewed here: https://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/past_budget_events  

City Budget Watch Blog:

https://www.socialplanningtoronto.org/tags/city_budget2026

Organizing a budget forum:

This guide was assembled in March 2020 by Social Planning Toronto's Rebecca Tom and Saroja Ponnambalam following a budget forum hosted in Lawrence Heights. The collected strategies can be used to host a budget forum in your own community. Access the guide here.

Stay informed: 

Stay up to date via the City Budget Watch newsletter.

Events and Resources From Community Partners

Free Public Events

City Budget 101
Hosted by Progress Toronto, with Wyndham Bettencourt-McCarthy (Councillor Alejandra Bravo’s Chief of Staff). 
January 12, 6 p.m.
Register

City Budget Committee Deputation Training 1
Hosted by TTCRiders. 
January 13, 6-7 p.m.
Register

How to Speak at Budget Committee
Hosted by Progress Toronto, with Toronto Youth Cabinet's Transit Lead Zain Khurram and community organizer Monica de Vera.
January 14, 6 p.m.
Register

Centring Disability Inclusion in City of Toronto 2026 Budget

Centre for Independent Living in Toronto and the GTA Disability Coalitioninvite you to join us for ourTown Hall Centring Disability Inclusion in theCity of Toronto's 2026 BudgetDescriptionHave your say in the City of Toronto 2026 Budget!Join CILT, GTADC, Social Planning Toronto, and TTCriders to explore ways toengage your voice:• letter or phone messages to your councillor or the Mayor• social media campaigns• deputing at budget meetingsDate: Thursday January 15, 2026Time: 1:00pm-2:30pmLocation: Virtual (Zoom)Register here:https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/v_Ac_AXeQ_iWca4fQ3CroQIf you need assistance with registering, please contact Robin Simmons by emailrobin.simmons@cilt.ca or call 416-599-2458 ext. 293.Access: ASL-English interpretation and CART will be provided.If you require any access accommodations, please let us know in theAccessibility Support section of the registration by Tuesday January 12, 2026.

Join Centre for Independent Living in Toronto, the GTA Disability Coalition, Social Planning Toronto, and TTCriders to explore ways to engage your voice
January 15, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Register

Speaking at Budget Committee Prep Session
Hosted by Progress Toronto, with community organizer Stephanie Lai and Progress Toronto Organizing Manager Donovan Hayden.
January 18, 12 p.m.
Register

City Budget Committee Deputation Training 1
Hosted by TTCRiders. 
January 19, 7-8 p.m. 
Register

Toronto Police Accountability Coalition
In person - Bathurst /St. Clair area (location tbd),
Jan 20, 6:30-8:00pm
Register

Action Network
In person- 473 Oakwood Avenue, Toronto, ON M6E 2W4
January 24, 2:00-5:00pm
Register

City Hall 101
Hosted by Progress Toronto, with Toronto Environmental Alliance Campaigns Director Sarah Buchanan and Progress Toronto Executive Director Saman Tabasinejad.
February 4, 4-6 p.m.
Register

Events and Resources from City Councillors

Willowdale City Budget Virtual Town Hall
Hosted by Lily Cheng and Althea Hutchinson
January 17, 10:30 am–12:00 pm
RSVP

Don Valley North Budget Virtual Town Hall
Hosted by Shelley Carroll
January 19, 7:00pm
RSVP

Etobicoke-Lakeshore Budget Town Hall
Hosted by Amber Morley and Anthony Ng
In person- Assembly Hall, 1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive, Etobicoke, M8V 4B6
January 19, 6:30-8:00pm
Register

Parkdale-High Park Budget Virtual Town Hall
Hosted by Gord Perks
January 19, 6:00-9:00pm
Register

Scarborough-Rouge Park Virtual Town Hall
Hosted by Neethan Shan and Althea Hutchinson
January 20, 6:00pm-7:30pm
RSVP

City Budget 101: Community Briefing
Hosted by Alejandra Bravo
In person- New Horizons Tower, 1140 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6H 4E6
February 5, 6:30-8:00 pm
Register

Have a budget event coming up? Let us know! Contact [email protected].