Torontonians will have a chance to weigh in on the proposed budget for 2016 during a series of public consultations being held this week.
The first consultations are being held Tuesday both at city hall and in Etobicoke.
Members of the public are allowed to address budget committee during the sessions and a total of 60 people are on the agenda to speak during the morning presentation at city hall.
The community meetings come on the heels of a series of committee meetings, where members approved the individual budgets for all city departments and agencies.
The staff-proposed budget, which is scheduled to go to council in February, includes $57 million in approved spending that is currently unfunded, such as early Sunday subway service, as well as another $67 million in previously announced initiatives that also don’t have money earmarked.
City Manager Peter Wallace has recommended that council approve a residential tax increase of 2.17 per cent in order to balance the budget , however Mayor John Tory has promised to keep any tax hike to around the rate of inflation (1.3 per cent).
“I am very determined that a budget will be brought forward in February that contains a 1.3 per cent property tax increase because that’s what I said I would do,” he told CP24 last month. “There is no reason we can’t do it and at the same time invest in the city.”
Here is a list of the planned public consultation sessions:
Jan 12
City Hall – Committee Room 1 (9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.)
Etobicoke Civic Centre – Council Chamber (3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
Jan 13
Scarborough Civic Centre – Council Chamber (3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
North York Civic Centre – Council Chamber (3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
Jan 14
East York Civic Centre – Council Chamber (3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
York Civic Centre – Council Chamber (3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
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