Hundreds of residents took part in the “Fund Our City” rally in front of City Hall on the morning of February 14. Community members sent a strong message to Toronto City Council to support the Mayor’s budget, including proposed funding increases for critical programs, services, and infrastructure and the recommended property tax increase to raise much-needed revenue. Many participants urged Council to reverse years of underfunding of key services and expressed disappointment with Council’s plan to give the police a larger budget increase.  

Rally photos courtesy of Damian Baranowski, a TTCriders volunteer

Inside City Hall, Toronto City Council met to review, debate, and finalize the 2024 City budget. Council voted on a series of amendments to the Mayor’s budget, as well as motions on the property tax rates. 

Record Funding Levels for Critical Services and Infrastructure Improvements

The final budget includes the highest amount of funding for new and enhanced services made in a single year in at least a decade. It provides significant new investments in City and community programs, services, and infrastructure (see list at bottom of the post), without service cuts. The budget enhancements in the staff-prepared budget and Mayor’s budget were supported by a significant residential property tax increase, assessment growth (i.e., property tax from new and redeveloped properties), a one-time dividend from CreateTO, some municipal reserve funding, new revenue from a groundbreaking deal with the Province, new federal funding to support the shelter needs of refugees and asylum seekers, and other sources. Community groups and residents have played a key role in advocating for fairer funding arrangements with the federal and provincial governments.

At its February 14 meeting, City Council allocated the $8 million in funding that was unallocated in the Mayor’s budget. The $8 million in funding will support the following service areas: windrow clearing (saved from the chopping block), Black Creek Pioneer Village programs, tree planting and maintenance, climate action measures, community safety programming, bylaw enforcement, and arts and culture programming. See motions below for further detail.

Here’s the full tally of budget enhancements:

• $152.3 million gross (from all revenue sources), including $126.6 million net (from municipal revenues) in new and enhanced services in the staff-prepared budget (see Appendix 1.4)
• $8.979 million gross, including $7.125 million net added to the Mayor’s budget to support critical services (see our post for details)
• $41 million gross, including $10 million net for the Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition (MURA) program in the Mayor’s budget
• $67.9 million allocated to speed up the development of the Scarborough Busway, included in the Mayor’s budget
• $50 million over two years to improve outdoor recreation infrastructure, park amenities, and local roads, included in the Mayor’s budget
• $8 million in budget enhancements added by City Council yesterday (see motions below for details)

By our count, there is a total of $169.279 million in budget enhancements in the 2024 City budget, not including MURA or capital/infrastructure improvements.

Toronto Police Get Bigger Budget Increase After Aggressive Lobbying 

City Council voted to give the police an even bigger budget increase than was already included in the Mayor’s budget. Council added $12.6 million to the Toronto Police Service (TPS) budget — as the TPS and Toronto Police Association (TPA) aggressively lobbied for. In the end, the TPS will receive the increase originally recommended by the TPS Board — and more. 

Briefing Note #17 shows that the staff-prepared budget included $59.7 million in added budget actions for the TPS, not including collective agreement–related costs that will likely be in the tens of millions. The $12.6 million increase boosts the City’s added budget support for the TPS to $72.3 million. That figure will balloon further once a settlement is reached with the TPA.

The $12.6 million increase is funded through a draw on a reserve account. As Motion 1 below states, it is expected that the City will be able to replenish the reserve account, either fully or partially, through new “emergent safety priority funding” from the federal and/or provincial governments, including the recently announced federal funding related to auto theft.

The amendment to give the police a larger increase was supported by 21 members of Council, including the Mayor, and opposed by 5 City Councillors. How did your City Councillor vote? 

City Council Supports the Proposed Property Tax Increases

After voting on amendments to the Mayor’s budget, Toronto City Council voted 18–8 in support of the proposed property tax rate increases, which fund about 31% of the City’s operating budget. Asked what would happen if Council didn’t support the tax increase, City staff said it would cause some “obvious challenges.” So, it’s good that didn’t happen.

Check out how your City Councillor voted on the proposed property tax rates, and read our recent deep dive into property taxes. 

Motions that Passed 

City Council passed amendments to the budget, adding:

• $12.6 million to the police budget 
• $8 million to the following services: 
  • $4.1 million for windrow clearing (saved from the chopping block);
  • $200,000 for Black Creek Pioneer Village programs;
  • $750,000 to hire bylaw officers;
  • $970,000 for tree planting and maintenance;
  • $200,000 for outreach and implementation of the Home Energy Loan Program and Emissions Performance Standard;
  • $400,000 for community safety, violence prevention, and wellbeing programs;
  • $800,000 to support implementation of the forthcoming Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector;
  • $500,000 to support the implementation of the forthcoming Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy; and
  • $80,000 to provide an inflationary increase to Local Arts Serving Organizations.

1. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Amber Morley (Final)

That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for the Toronto Police Service by $12.6 million gross and $0 net, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $18.565 million in total contributions to the Budget Bridging and Balancing Reserve to support 2025 bridging requirements, which is expected be fully or partially replenished upon confirmation of the City’s funding allocation as part discussions with the Provincial and Federal Governments on emergent safety priority funding including areas of auto-theft and the unique costs of policing in Toronto.

Motion carries (21–5).

2a. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Paul Ainslie (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Transportation Services by $4.1 million to continue to deliver the Winter Windrow Clearing Program, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8 million in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (26–0).

2b. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Paul Ainslie (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Toronto and Region Conservation Authority by $200,000 to support programming at the Black Creek Pioneer Village, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8 million in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (23–3).

3. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Municipal Licensing and Standards by $0.75 million to hire Bylaw officers to respond to noise complaints, business licensing, and Animal Care and Control Officers for dangerous dogs response, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

4a. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Dianne Saxe (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Parks, Forestry and Recreation by $0.97 million for tree planting, pruning, and watering, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

4b. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Dianne Saxe (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Energy and Climate by $0.2 million to assist with outreach and implementation of the Home Energy Loan Program and Emissions Performance Standard, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (24–2).

5. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Lily Cheng (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Social Development, Finance and Administration by $0.4 million for community safety, violence prevention, and wellbeing, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8 million in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

10a. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Shelley Carroll (Final) REVISED That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture by $0.8 million to support the implementation of the forthcoming Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector benefitting organizations such as the Toronto Arts Council, local arts service organizations, and other crucial actors in the Culture Sector, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

10b. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Shelley Carroll (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture by $0.5 million to support the implementation of the forthcoming Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

10c. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Shelley Carroll (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture by $0.08 million to provide an inflationary increase to Local Arts Serving Organizations, offset by a corresponding decrease in the 2024 Operating Budget for Corporate Accounts of the $8M in total contributions related to 2024 emergent budget priorities. Motion carries (25–1).

Motions that Failed

6a. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Brad Bradford (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture by $2.0 million gross and $0 net to provide added funding to the Toronto Arts Council, funded from the $18.565 million in total contributions to the Budget Bridging and Balancing Reserve to support 2025 bridging requirements. Motion fails (7–19).

6b. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Brad Bradford (Final) That:

City Council increase the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture by $0.900 million gross and $0 net to provide added funding to Local Arts Serving Organizations, funded from the $18.565 million in total contributions to the Budget Bridging and Balancing Reserve to support 2025 bridging requirements. Motion fails (6–20).

Note: Council supported Councillor Carroll’s motions on the arts and culture sector, rather than Councillor Bradford’s.

7. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Vincent Crisanti (Final) That:

That City Council amend Part 121 by decreasing the estimated property tax revenue by $42.2 million, to be fully offset by an equivalent increase in Non-Program Revenues funded by an additional one-time withdrawal from the Tax Stabilization Reserve Fund, in order to facilitate a 1% reduction to the proposed property tax rate increase for 2024. Motion fails (6–20).

9d. Motion to Amend Mayor's Proposed Budget moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Final) That:

City Council amend the 2024 to 2033 Capital Budget and Plan for Transportation Services, by reallocating $10 million in 2024 from for the implementation of the Cycling Network Plan to the state of good repair backlog of roads, and that the remaining funding for cycling projects be prioritized by the relative existing cycling share to overall volume. Motion fails (2–24).

2024 City Budget: A Recap of Key Service and Infrastructure Enhancements

• Shelter services and drop-in centres

• Protections for renters to help pay for rent, gain access to supports, prevent eviction and homelessness, and ensure safe living conditions

• Acquiring and preserving affordable housing  

• Community-based programs provided by nonprofit partners

• Arts and culture programs

• Improved transit, including the Scarborough Busway, a fare freeze, improved service levels, and new subway trains

• Tree planting and maintenance and other climate-related initiatives

• More programs for low-income families and youth, including locally responsive youth programs, 3 new youth hubs, and improved access to recreation programs

• Community safety programs

• A community- and care-based approach to community safety in neighbourhoods and on the TTC

• Capital funds to improve roads, along with beautification and repair of public spaces

• Nursing hours in long-term care facilities

• 52 new firefighters and 62 new paramedics

• Improved public consultation

• Windrow clearing service saved

For further details, see Appendix 1.4 for new and enhanced services included in the staff-prepared budget and our City Budget Watch post on the additional enhancements in the Mayor’s budget.

A Landmark Budget with More Work Ahead

In significant ways, this year’s budget is a marked departure from the past. It invests considerably more in critical programs, services, and infrastructure. It turns the corner on the city’s steady decline. The Mayor and Council have made a reasonable and responsible choice to raise property taxes above the rate of inflation to better fund our city. It’s a good start, with more work to do.

Certainly, there is more work to do when it comes to the police budget. Council’s decision to capitulate to the demands of the police for more and more of the City’s limited resources is disappointing to say the least. The advocacy of many groups and community members has been essential in challenging police funding and calling for greater investments in community-based programs. There is more work ahead.

Community groups and residents who have advocated for many years for better budgets, proper funding for critical services and infrastructure, and responsible taxation to create a city that cares about everyone can take a bow. This year’s landmark budget would not have been achieved without the concerted efforts of tens of thousands of Toronto residents engaging and organizing across the city.