Toronto opens 2025 budget consultations

The City of Toronto is getting a head start on its budget consultations this year.

City hall has launched an online survey to receive resident feedback on the 2025 budget and will be hosting six consultation sessions throughout the month, four in person and two online. The consultations are happening a month earlier than they did last year.

Mayor Olivia Chow said Wednesday that feedback can focus on big issues like housing or smaller ones like park opening hours.

"We want to hear from you, the people of Toronto," Chow said at a news conference at city hall.

"We want to hear your priorities, what you want us to do more often or less of. We're opening up city hall to get to what matters to you."

The online survey is available in 12 languages: English, French, Chinese-simplified, Chinese-traditional, Farsi, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu. 

The in-person consultations are as follows:

• Oct. 19, from 12 p.m.to 2 p.m., North York Memorial Hall, 5110 Yonge St.

• Oct. 24, from 7 to 9 p.m., Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr.

• Oct. 27, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., Rose Avenue Junior Public School, 675 Ontario St.

• Oct. 28, from 7 to 9 p.m., Etobicoke Olympium, 590 Rathburn Rd.

Both virtual consultations will happen from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 30.

Budget comes after large tax hike in 2024

The 2024 budget included a 9.5 per cent property tax hike, which was the highest in decades. The mayor said it was necessary to cover a $1.8 billion shortfall. 

The city's chief financial officer Stephen Conforti said Wednesday that the situation isn't so bleak this year.

WATCH | City hall reporter Shawn Jeffords on what went wrong with the vacant home tax:

Executive committee greenlights changes to simplify Toronto's vacant home tax

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Toronto’s redesigned vacant home tax program has been approved by a key committee at city hall. The changes come after a barrage of complaints during its initial rollout in the spring. But some councillors say they would still like to see more changes to the controversial declaration process. Municipal affairs reporter Shawn Jeffords has the story.

"I don't expect it to be as challenging, but still not quite easy," Conforti said. "Every budget is always going to have its own challenges." 

When asked about what next year's property tax rate will look like, Chow said she doesn't know yet.

City council won't set the final property tax rate until February.