Toronto budget consultation meetings to begin this week
By MATTHEW STEPHENS
City officials have announced the launch of Toronto’s 2026 budget consultations to be held across the city.
For the third consecutive year, the city is allowing residents to assist in determining the upcoming budget by completing an online survey and attending one of six in-person or virtual consultations.
“This year’s budget consultation process is your chance to shape decisions that protect affordability, strengthen the services you need and keep on building for Toronto’s future. Your input will help shape decisions that affect us all every day,” said Shelley Carroll, Councillor for Don Valley North and Chair of Toronto’s Budget Committee.
During the consultations and survey, members of the public will have the opportunity to share their priorities for where money in the city’s budget should be allocated.
From now until Friday, Oct. 31, Toronto residents can complete an online survey at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/
The city will also hold a total of six public consultations online and in-person across Toronto.
In-person consultation locations and times include:
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7 to 9 p.m. at St Lawrence Market North, Market Hall (92 Front St. E.)
Saturday, Oct. 18, noon to 2 p.m. at Etobicoke Olympium, Large Gym (590 Rathburn Rd.)
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 7 to 9 p.m. at North York Memorial Hall, Burgundy Rooms A & B (5110 Yonge St.)
Thursday, Oct. 23, 7 to 9 p.m. at Scarborough Civic Centre, Rotunda (150 Borough Dr.)
Virtual consultations will be held on Monday, Oct. 27 from noon to 2 p.m., and Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m.
To register for an in-person or virtual consultation, please go to https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/
Beaches-East York Councillor Brad Bradford expressed disappointment that an in-person meeting will not be held in East York.
“East York residents are some of the most engaged citizens I know, so I do think it’s very unfortunate that the city is not hosting a pre-budget consultation in East York,” said Bradford in a statement to Beach Metro Community News.
Bradford said he plans to hold his own budget consultation meeting in early 2026.
He said he’s hearing from residents who are prioritizing “public safety, transportation, and making life more affordable,” when discussing the upcoming 2026 budget.
“After a 25 per cent property tax increase over the past three years, many families and seniors are tapped out. They can’t afford more record-breaking increases, and I think that consideration needs to be front and centre when the mayor is putting together her budget,” said Bradford.
Carroll echoed Bradford’s belief in prioritizing affordability.
“The city’s priorities this year continue to follow the multi-year roadmap laid out in the Long-Term Financial Plan. Following two years of strategic investments in transit, housing, community safety, and other key services, the 2026 budget will be leaner, with a strong focus on affordability for residents while maintaining the services that matter most to them,” said Carroll.
Similar to Bradford, she also found that attendees of previous budget consultation meetings have prioritized public safety, transit and traffic management, community services, and housing affordability. And that feedback has helped guide “investments and service improvements across the city.”
“Based on feedback from the consultations, we expanded school food programs to feed more than a quarter million students. We froze TTC fares while improving service in every corner of our city. We added hundreds of firefighters, police, and paramedics to increase safety. We extended Sunday hours at all 100 Toronto Public Library branches, kept outdoor pools open later to keep you cool during the hot summer, and increased access to local arts, festivals, and cultural events,” said Carroll.
With the 2026 budget designed to “protect affordability,” Carroll said property tax increase will be “lower than in previous years, reflecting a careful balance of fiscal responsibility and service delivery.”
Results from public consultations will help inform the city’s decision and ongoing discussions with the provincial and federal governments.
Following the consultations, a summary will be sent to the city Budget Committee at the first meeting on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. The summary will inform the mayor’s proposed budget, which will be released by Sunday, Feb. 1.
