Budget Resources
Budget Analysis & News
"Toronto After a Decade of Austerity: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
This report looks at how our city has progressed, declined, or stagnated — when it comes to housing, child care, public transit, and cycling and walking — as a result of budget choices made over the past decade. Learn why it's urgent that we move away from austerity toward building a more affordable, fair, & caring city.
Partner Analysis
Our partners are also analyzing the budget through various lenses. Read some of their work here »
Media Coverage
On the budget:
- A date with big city budgets
- Toronto's proposal for balanced budget needs $77 million from federal government
- Toronto's infrastructure costs don’t end once construction is done
On housing:
On growing support for a tax on vacant homes and higher taxes on luxury homes:
- City puts plan to tax vacant homes on hold, but the idea isn't dead quite yet
- Canada needs a lot more rental housing. A tax on empty condos is part of the solution
- City Councillor favours tax on vacant homes in Toronto
- Growing push to tax both vacant, luxury homes during city's budget process
- Toronto's 2020 budget is just a chapter in a bigger book
- Toronto should put a tax on vacant homes
- Toronto’s 2020 budget would be improved with a tax on vacant homes
- Proposal for more real estate taxes is expected to heat up Toronto’s budget debate
On marginalization and inequity:
- No extra funding for Toronto fund that helps prevent evictions
- Toronto’s economic boom is not being felt in every neighbourhood
On gun violence:
- $6M anti-violence funding boost passes first budget hurdle, prompting both praise and concern
- ‘It’s good to see the city invest in communities again’: Tory’s promise for $6 million to youth programs brings hope of shift on gun violence
- Days after Airbnb killings, Mayor Tory pledges $6 million in new money for youth violence prevention
- Toronto's 2020 budget proposal has little city funding to respond to escalating gun violence
On transit and transportation:
- TTC fare enforcement crackdown doesn’t feel all that fair
- How the Gardiner Expressway hogs the road during budget talks
- Op-ed: The city balances its budget on the backs of students
- Billions to spend on transit renewal but what do we get?
- TTC staff release $4.6B shopping list, including new vehicles, station upgrades
- Toronto’s new streetcars are sleeker and roomier, but you could be waiting up to 25 per cent longer for a ride
- TTC's 10-cent fare hike doesn’t buy much transit
- Will Toronto be getting more new streetcars? The battle begins today with the city's draft budget
On libraries:
Get Involved!
Support the Vacant Homes Tax
It didn't make it into the 2020 City Budget, but we need to keep pushing for Council to take this action—one of the many needed to address our housing crisis—in 2021.
Send a message supporting the tax to your local City Councillor and the Mayor »