City of Toronto 2024 Budget process

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.

2024 Budget consultations

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.

Virtual consultations

• Thursday, November 23, noon to 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 28, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m.
• Thursday, November 30, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m.

In-person consultations

• Monday, November 20, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m., Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr.
• Tuesday, November 21, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m., Etobicoke Olympium, 590 Rathburn Rd.
• Saturday, November 25, noon to 1:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m., Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St.
• Monday, November 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m., North York Memorial Hall, 5110 Yonge St.
• Wednesday, November 29, 7 to 8:30 p.m. or 8:30 to 10 p.m., Rexdale Community Hub, 21 Panorama Crt.

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.

Online survey for all Torontonians

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.

The complete 2024 Budget process timeline is:

• Consultations on the 2024 Budget – multiple locations, Wednesday, November 1 through Thursday, November 30
• Solid Waste Management Services, Toronto Parking Authority and Toronto Water interim rate report – Executive Committee, Tuesday, December 5, and City Council, Wednesday, December 13
• Launch and staff presentation on 2024 Budget – Budget Committee, Wednesday, January 10, 2024
• 2024 Budget program and agency presentations – Budget Committee, Tuesday, January 16 to Thursday, January 18, 2024
• 2024 Budget public presentations – Budget Committee, Monday, January 22 and Tuesday, January 23, 2024
• 2024 Budget Committee Recommendations to the Mayor – Budget Committee, Friday, January 26, 2024
• Release of Mayor’s proposed 2024 Budget – Thursday, February 1, 2024
• City Council consideration of Mayor’s proposed 2024 Budget and budget-related matters – City Council, Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

Resident engagement

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.

Legislative requirements

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:

• The Mayor shall propose the budget on or before February 1.
• If the Mayor does not propose a budget to City Council by February 1, City Council. must prepare and adopt the budget for the City.
• City Council may amend the Mayor’s proposed budget.
• The Mayor may veto amendments adopted by City Council.
• City Council may override the Mayor’s veto if two-thirds of the members of City Council vote to override the veto.

There are also timelines associated with the Mayor’s proposed budget, Council’s amendments, the Mayoral veto and Council override provisions:

• Council has 30 days to amend the proposed budget after the Mayor presents it or may choose to shorten this period. For 2024, Council has scheduled a Special Council meeting on February 14 to consider the Mayor’s proposed budget and shortened this period. If Council does not amend the proposed budget within this time, the Mayor’s proposed budget is deemed to be adopted.
• The Mayor may veto Council amendments up to 10 days after the period for Council to pass amendments ends, or the Mayor may choose to shorten this period. If the Mayor does not exercise her veto, the amended budget is deemed adopted.
• Council may override the Mayor’s veto with a two-third vote up to 15 days after the period for the Mayor to veto an amendment in which case the amended budget is deemed adopted. This period may also be shortened by Council.

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.