TORONTO – Budget: City of Toronto staff are beginning to look at next year’s finances and are preparing to launch the budget consultation process, but they are excluding the Italian community. Let’s see how.
As every year, the consultations will offer residents the opportunity to express their opinions on what residents believe should be the City’s spending priorities for 2026, as well as where the City itself can make cuts. Residents can attend a series of budget consultation meetings with City staff, either in person or online (meetings begin October 14th and run until the end of the month). Additionally, Toronto residents can complete an online budget survey by October 31st. This survey, as can be easily found by clicking the link (here) on the City of Toronto website, is available in twelve languages—appropriately, given the multi-ethnic nature of a city where even the Mayor, Olivia Chow, is the daughter of Chinese immigrants. But… Italian is missing from the list of languages: the language of one of Toronto’s largest and most important communities, practically since the city started to be built (especially by Italians). The survey can be taken in the following languages: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean, Farsi, Filipino, Russian, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu.
The only part for Italians is the page relating to general information (here). But no survey for them. Who knows if some Italian-origin city-councilor (or MPP, or MP) will notice and officially protest this “oversight” which, as we’ve already documented in the past, is nothing new… we’ll see.
Meanwhile, the survey has already begun and will end on October 31st. In-person consultations will begin on October 14th—as mentioned above—and will be held as follows: Tuesday, October 14th, 7–9 pm, St. Lawrence Market North, Market Hall, 92 Front St. E.; Saturday, October 18th, noon–2 pm, Etobicoke Olympium, Large Gym, 590 Rathburn Rd.; Wednesday, October 22nd, 7–9 pm, North York Memorial Hall, Burgundy Rooms A & B, 5110 Yonge St.; Thursday, October 23rd, 7–9 pm, Scarborough Civic Centre, Rotunda, 150 Borough Dr.; two virtual consultations are also planned, online, on Monday, October 27, noon-2 pm, and Wednesday, October 29, 7-9 pm. Citizens can register to participate at https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/how-to-get-involved-in-the-budget/fall-budget-consultations/ (for technical support, contact engagement@toronto.ca or call 416-392-5398).
Then, in January, the first meeting of the Budget Committee (the chief is Councillor Shelley Carroll) will be held, followed by public presentations where residents will be able to speak with committee members. And in February, Mayor Olivia Chow will release the 2026 budget proposal, which will be considered by the City Council at a special meeting on February 10th.
Among the potential changes most feared by residents is a new 3% property tax increase, already floated by the Mayor to fill the gap in social housing funding from the provincial and federal governments, should the latter fail to provide substantial funding to the City.
Above, the image that opens the “2026 City Budget” page on the City of Toronto website (www.toronto.ca/city-government/budget-finances/city-budget/)
