Toronto, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to reject Toronto City Council’s request for yet another budget bailout.

“Today, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie sent a letter to Premier Ford and Prime Minister Trudeau asking for a bailout,” said CTF Ontario Director Jay Goldberg. “She continues to blame the city’s shortfall on the pandemic, but the reality is spending has been out of control at Toronto City Hall for almost a decade.”

McKelvie is following the approach of former mayor John Tory of asking the province and the federal government to cover the city’s $1.4 billion budget shortfall. While Tory continuously claimed Toronto should be transferred more cash from other levels of government, Toronto’s spending increased by 43 per cent under Tory’s watch.

“It’s time for Toronto City Council to take responsibility for its budgeting decisions,” said Goldberg. “Ontarians and taxpayers in other provinces shouldn’t have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to bail out a city that refuses to find savings. It’s high time for Toronto to live within its means.”

The provincial government has already given $235 million to the city to help cover its budget shortfall.