After weeks of budget wrangling and public advocacy, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is set to reveal her version of the city’s 2024 budget.
As the mayor prepares to unveil her financial vision, the federal government is hinting that after weeks of silence, Ottawa could also be coming to Toronto’s aid.
In early January, the City of Toronto’s budget chief set out a 10.5-per cent increase, which she said could rise to 16.5 per cent if more money for housing and the homeless didn’t flow from the Trudeau government.
The city’s decision to lay the onus on the feds upset local MPs and lit a fire under advocates but didn’t yield any concrete new promises.
Advocate and homeless outreach worker Diana McNally said local Liberal MPs shouldn’t think “their jobs are stable,” warning a lack of action had “alienated” many in the environmental, transit and housing space.
Then, on Wednesday afternoon, the federal Immigration Minister teased that the money city hall says it so desperately needs could be on the way.
Marc Miller said the federal government would pony up another $362.4 million in housing assistance for provinces and cities. He said $100 million was for Quebec but refused to be drawn on how much might go to Toronto.
“The City of Toronto will be getting a significant amount of this,” he said. “There will be significant amounts announced in the coming days, but it won’t be me announcing it.”
As the city awaits the next stage in its budget process, Chow is giving little away.
Pressed by reporters to share what her budget could look like over the past few weeks, the mayor has said simply she will listen to public feedback.
The location of her budget announcement Thursday — along the decommissioned Scarborough RT Line — may suggest money for stranded commuters in the east of the city could be on the table.
Chow will table her budget on Thursday, Feb. 1, and is planning to finalize and approve the document by Feb. 14.
Councillors will have an opportunity to suggest changes to the financial plan. Under the province’s strong mayor powers, Chow has the ability to veto those suggestions, a power she has said she doesn’t plan to use.
— with files from Global News’ Matthew Bingley
