My perspective on Scarborough’s budget consultations. Instead of distributing funds across services, why not fund services based on ward-driven data. This would be a better way to distribute money to address pressing community concerns.
I attended my first budget consultation by the City of Toronto on October 23 and was both enlightened and disheartened by what I learned over the next 2.5 hours.
The event was held at the Scarborough Civic Centre. I made my way to the back of the room and sat down at a table, which soon filled up with senior citizens and single mothers.
We were first educated on how Toronto commanded the 6th largest budget in the whole of Canada and yet the city only gets 9% of tax-related monies – mainly property tax, besides provincial and federal subsidies and service-related fares to fund critical services across 25 wards that house 3 million people. A comprehensive breakdown of the $18.8 billion operating budget for 2025 can be found on the City of Toronto’s website.
I say limited funding sources because CFO Stephen Conforti informed us how the city invested extra security and transit measures during the six days of Taylor Swift, an event which generated a whopping $258 million in revenue.
Guess how much Toronto’s share was? $300,000, according to Conforti. What happened to the rest, you ask? It was split between the province and the federal government.
Hosting world-class concerts, I realized, only serves as an expensive façade, with the massive revenue split benefiting everyone but the city paying to host it.
The frustrated residents of Scarborough were next invited to voice their opinion on what city services required more investment in the 2026 budget, due out in January. The folks at the table voiced their concerns over the lack of oversight in subsidized housing.
These dwellings, part of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, had unresponsive landlords, pet-feces ridden entryway rugs, and poor roadways to and from the buildings, posing a hazard. Senior citizens spoke of sustaining broken limbs due to city neglect of roadways and snow plowing.
Single mothers were incensed as city-driven training courses were offered at times that coincided with their children’s morning school routine and/or their work schedule. Lack of flexibility in timings for courses that are meant to benefit them rendered the programs out of reach.
Toronto’s budget is constrained by a revenue model that leaves millions on the table while its residents are left with potholes, leaky ceilings and no way to upskill.
Two officials from Municipal Licensing and Toronto Community Housing advised residents to call 311 for specific services.
The night’s discussion got me thinking. First, most city services overlap in their broad objectives; by bringing these services under one umbrella, the city can pool resources. Secondly, instead of distributing funds across services, why not fund services based on ward-driven data. This would be a better way to distribute money to address pressing community concerns.
Lastly, Toronto please stop doing things the same way you have been doing for years. Take a chance and think differently so you can adopt newer ways of providing services.
Over 200 people gathered together to see a better city. I hope you heard us, Toronto.
Paddy Shastri’s (author) bio: I grew up and continue to live in Scarborough. I teach biotechnology courses at Centennial college. When not teaching or doing research I volunteer for the daily bread and am an amateur knitter.
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