City of Toronto 2024 Budget process

Note: This backgrounder was revised on January 10, 2024, to update the public engagement information.

For the City of Toronto’s 2024 Budget, Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North), Chair of the Budget Committee, are opening up City Hall and the City’s budget process, which will be transparent, collaborative and involve residents.

While provincial legislation has evolved with Bill 3, the authority for revenue sources such as tax levies, user fees and direct taxes remains vested in City Council. Council also retains decision-making power when the Mayor declares a financial interest in any matter, as communicated in advance to the City Clerk.

2024 Budget consultations

From November 1 to 30, Toronto residents are invited to join Mayor Chow, Councillor Carroll, members of the Budget Committee and other Torontonians to share their ideas about the City’s 2024 Budget and Toronto’s future in one of eight virtual and in-person consultations and through an online survey and tool.

Virtual consultations

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

To participate in the virtual consultations, residents can visit the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.

In-person consultations

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

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 use an online tool to share their ideas for Toronto’s future and review and respond to other ideas. The survey and online tool are available on 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 a new deal for Toronto.

The results will be presented to the Budget Committee when the 2024 Budget launches on Wednesday, January 10, 2024 and will accompany the Budget Committee’s recommendations to Mayor Chow for the Mayor’s budget, which will be released on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

The budget process will then follow its standard procedures. This will include a presentation by the City Manager and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer to launch the staff prepared budget, service area and selected agency presentations, and public presentations to hear feedback from Toronto residents.

As required by provincial legislation, the Mayor will propose her budget to the City Clerk and Members of Council. Council will then evaluate the Mayor’s budget, alongside other budget-related items within its authority, at a special meeting.

The 2024 Budget process timeline is as follows:

• 2024 Budget Consultations – Wednesday, November 1 to Thursday, November 30
• Interim rate report to Executive Committee (Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water) – Tuesday, December 5
• Interim rate report to City Council – Wednesday, December 13 to Friday, December 15
• 2024 Budget launch – Wednesday, January 10, 2024
• 2024 Budget Committee review – Tuesday, January 16 to Thursday, January 18, 2024
• 2024 Budget Committee public presentations – Monday, January 22 and Tuesday, January 23, 2024
• 2024 Budget Committee wrap-up – Friday, January 26, 2024
• Mayor’s proposed 2024 Budget release – Thursday, February 1, 2024
• City Council (Special) – Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Public engagement (updated)

Toronto residents and businesses are encouraged to continue sharing feedback about the City’s 2024 Budget at one of three telephone town halls:

• Tuesday, January 16, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, January 18, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

To participate, Toronto residents and businesses can call 1-833-490-0778 toll-free at the time of the telephone town hall.

The Budget Committee will also hear from residents in person and by video conference at meetings held:

• Monday, January 22 – Toronto City Hall, Committee Room 1, 100 Queen St. W., 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.
• Monday, January 22 – Scarborough Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 150 Borough Dr., 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 23 – Etobicoke Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 399 The West Mall, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 23 – North York Civic Centre, Council Chamber, 5100 Yonge St., 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and 6 to 9 p.m.

Speakers are asked to register by emailing buc@toronto.ca or calling 416-392-4666 – indicating their preferred date and time – before 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., 10^th 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.

Special Powers and Duties of the Mayor

Regulations prescribe the process for the City’s annual budget:

• The Mayor may present a proposed City budget no later than February 1 by providing it to each Member of Council and the Clerk. If the Mayor does not present a proposed budget, Council must do so.
• Council has 30 days to amend the proposed budget after the Mayor presents it or may choose to shorten this period (for 2024, Council adopted a meeting calendar with a Special Council meeting on February 14 to consider the proposed budget, which 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 (the shorter of the 30 days or the shorter time adopted by Council), 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 (the shorter of the 10 days or, the shorter time adopted by the Mayor), in which case the amended budget is deemed adopted. This period may also be shortened by Council.
• If Council does not exercise an override of the Mayor’s veto, the proposed budget is deemed adopted.

More information is available on the City’s 2024 Budget webpage.

 

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