Toronto 2017 budget focuses on savings, investing in community

Toronto 2017 budget focuses on savings, investing in community

MAYOR JOHN TORY

TORONTO–The 2017 budget is focused on saving money, keeping the city affordable and investing in Toronto residents’ priorities.

On Monday Feb. 6, Mayor John Tory, Councillor Gary Crawford and City staff met with members of the multilingual media for a Toronto 2017 Budget briefing. Media received a technical briefing by City staff on the budget. Mayor Tory made remarks and was available to media at the end of the briefing.

“Every service we provide is important,” said Mayor Tory. “But with this budget, we are making sure every dollar we spend is spent wisely and in the best interest of the people of Toronto. The 2017 budget is about running this government more effectively and efficiently, keeping the city affordable for residents and investing in services that matter for Torontonians like transit and community programs.”

City Council directed all City divisions, agencies and corporations to look carefully at their budgets to see how the City can run government more effectively and efficiently. It produced great insights and tens of millions of dollars in savings and efficiencies.

By finding these savings, the City is keeping Toronto affordable for residents and investing in priorities. Highlights include:

• Keeping property taxes below the rate of inflation

• Spending $80 million more on the TTC to get Toronto moving

• Buying 800 new buses

• Continuing work on the subway extension to York University, SmartTrack, the Scarborough subway extension

• Investing $185 million in the City’s Poverty Reduction Strategy to make Toronto more affordable for low-income residents

• Investing over $55 million in community grants to support recreation and art programs, festivals and special events

The City of Toronto’s Budget Committee began the budget process in December. The budget will be reviewed, debated and approved at City Council on February 15 and 16. More information about the City’s budget and the budget process is available at toronto.ca/budget2017.

(PRESS RELEASE)