The City of Toronto’s 2024 Budget process will be similar to last year’s, with the addition of a month-long public consultation process.
From November 1 to 30, Toronto residents are invited to join Mayor Olivia Chow, Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Budget Committee, Members of Council and other Torontonians to share their ideas about the City’s 2024 Budget and Toronto’s future in virtual and in-person consultations and through an online survey.
Participants are encouraged to register to receive reminders and notifications of any meeting changes. There are two time slots for each meeting and participants can choose their desired time during registration. To register, residents can visit the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.
In addition to the virtual and in-person consultations, starting today until November 30, Toronto residents will have the opportunity to complete an online survey and share their ideas for Toronto’s future and review and respond to other ideas.
To participate, residents can visit the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.
Mayor Chow and Toronto City Council will use the feedback to help inform decision-making at the City and to support discussions with the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada to secure sustainable financing for Toronto.
The results will be presented to the Budget Committee when the 2024 Budget launches on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, and will ultimately accompany the Budget Committee’s recommendations to Mayor Chow for the Mayor’s budget, which will be released by Thursday, February 1, 2024.
The formal budget process will take place between Wednesday, January 10 and February 14, 2024. This will include meetings of the Budget Committee to consider a presentation by the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, service area and selected agency presentations, and public presentations to hear feedback from Toronto residents.
As required by provincial legislation and regulation, the Mayor will propose her budget to the City Clerk and Members of Council by Thursday, February 1. Council will then consider the Mayor’s budget, alongside other budget-related items within its authority, at a special meeting on Wednesday, February 14.
Toronto residents are encouraged to participate in the 2024 Budget process. In addition to the November consultations described in detail above, comments and feedback may be provided to the Budget Committee in person, online or in writing, and to Members of Council in writing.
The Budget Committee will hear from Toronto residents in person and by video conference on Monday, January 22, and Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Details about these meetings will be available after the 2024 Budget launch.
Speakers are asked to register by email at buc@toronto.ca or by calling 416-392-4666 by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 19. Individuals may only make one presentation. Registered public speakers will be given instructions on appearing at the Committee meeting. The meeting will be live streamed on the Toronto City Council YouTube channel.
Written comments can be submitted to the Budget Committee by email: buc@toronto.ca or by mail: Attention Budget Committee, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St. W., 10th floor, West Tower, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2.
Comments can also be provided to Members of Council in writing. Contact information is available from 311 or 416-338-0TTY (0889) or on the City’s Members of Council webpage.
Members of Council may also host a 2024 Budget Townhall. Residents interested in attending may contact their local Councillor for details.
The City of Toronto Act, as amended by Bill 3 – the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, assigns special powers and duties to the Mayor.
Key among them is that the Mayor is responsible for preparing a proposed budget for the City and providing the proposed budget to City Council for consideration.
Provincial regulation (O. Reg 592/22) sets out further details:
There are also timelines associated with the Mayor’s proposed budget, Council’s amendments, the Mayoral veto and Council override provisions:
Despite these legislative changes, City Council retains the authority to approve the revenue sources for the City’s budget, including property tax levies, rates and user fees.
More information is available on the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.