TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow to commit to specific budget savings during the city’s public pre-budget consultations, which run through Oct. 30

“Chow hiked Toronto property taxes by 9.5 per cent last year and that cost the average Toronto homeowner $690 in additional property taxes,” said CTF Ontario Director Jay Goldberg. “Instead of hammering Toronto taxpayers with a massive property tax hike for a second year in a row, Chow needs to find budget savings to keep more money in the pockets of hardworking families.”

The 2024 budget increased spending by more than $880 million compared to former mayor John Tory’s 2023 budget. Had Chow increased spending by a modest $200 million over Toronto’s 2023 spending levels, she could have avoided increasing property taxes altogether.

“Chow’s massive property tax hike was a deliberate choice,” said Goldberg. “Instead of finding savings and keeping spending increases in check, Chow cranked up the spending machine and Toronto taxpayers paid the price.

“Whether it’s spending an extra $350 million a year to maintain Toronto’s closed tendering construction contracting process that favours big unions or $33,000 on city-branded crack pipe stickers, Toronto is wasting money left, right, and centre. It’s time for Chow to cut the waste and ask bureaucrats to find savings, not taxpayers to pay more.”

Torontonians can sign up to participate in the city’s pre-budget consultations on its website.