Toronto’s got problems.
There’s too much construction on the streets, little employment opportunities for everyone in the city and so many people remain unhoused and hungry.
So why doesn’t City Hall just fix it all?
A couple weeks back, we broke down which level of government is actually responsible for what problems. For example, where hospitals go isn’t the city’s choice. The Ontario government determines that. Mayor Olivia Chow can’t give everyone support through the Ontario Student Assistance Program, because that’s also provincial.
The City operates within rules set by the province, it relies on revenue from a number of sources and it has to balance multiple demands and decision-making within its budget.
So where does Toronto’s power stop?
Toronto isn’t Toronto’s boss
Ontario is the senior level of government for municipalities in the province. The City of Toronto derives its power from provincial legislation — the City of Toronto Act, 2006.
The Act gives the City powers to govern local affairs, provide services and pass bylaws. We’ll explain how something becomes a bylaw next week, so stay tuned.
The Act also establishes restrictions on how those powers can be used. In other words, Toronto can make some decisions, but it has to act within the legal framework set by Ontario.
Matter of fact, if you’ve taken some time to check out our explainer on what the mayor of Toronto can actually do, you’ll see that the mayor has special powers to call out Council if they’re making decisions that don’t comply with the province’s vision and values.
Toronto doesn’t have an unlimited budget
Toronto’s a pretty big city, and it requires a lot more money than some of the smaller municipalities in the province. The City has to pay for things like transit, roads, emergency shelters, parks and other services.
This money comes through a couple different ways — there’s going to be an in-depth explainer on that in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for it. But essentially, property taxes, transit fares, federal and provincial support are a couple of the ways Toronto gets its cash. In the City’s 2025 operating budget, property taxes made up 30% of funding, while federal and provincial funding were 25% each.
So, who decides how the money is spent?
It can be hard to balance what services in the city get a good chunk of the money. Investing in one necessity for Torontonians can mean that another concern, or even community, gets less money. Councillors can’t spend all the money in the world on every issue.
But while the City of Toronto has its limitations, elected officials are still accountable to residents. It’s their responsibility to make sure peoples’ needs are met and communicated to the province.
Toronto City Council also has internal barriers
It’s no secret that not all of the Toronto City Councillors get along. They don’t all see eye-to-eye on the same issues. They don’t all agree about certain policies, bylaws or services offered to Torontonians.
There are 25 city councillors and one mayor, and if you want to know about the roles of each, check out these guides: “What does a city councillor actually do” and “What does the mayor of Toronto even do?” But even then, they don’t have all the jurisdiction in the world to make decisions individually.
The City also has bylaws, policies, budgets and processes that determine how services are delivered. City Council also needs to make decisions based on recommendations from staff.
So, what can the City of Toronto actually do?
The City still controls every day things like public transit, garbage, roads and more.
Toronto can make bylaws, set priorities, communicate to the province and federal governments, and determine where funding goes. But it’s subject to finances and provincial law.
Just remember to always question the processes around decision-making and what unforeseen reasons are limiting the City from actually driving the action you want. However, even knowing the limitations, you can hold elected officials accountable to addressing your problems and allocating funding for a better Toronto.
Is there something else that’s civic-related that you want broken down before the election is here? Let me know at aia@thegreenline.to.
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