Fund Community-led Planning

Across Toronto, residents and cultural hub tenants are losing ground — not because solutions don't exist, but because city-led processes consistently sideline community expertise. Affordable housing, local businesses, and cultural spaces can be protected when residents are resourced to ensure City planning services reflect local priorities.

Toronto's community organizations are calling on the City to invest $45M annually — funding community-led planning in all 158 neighbourhoods, with up to $500K per year in the highest-need areas. The City approved $93.8M in new police funding in 2026 without a single public deputation, and that same year declined to scale community-led planning funding into even 6 neighbourhoods.

When planning funds are governed by local resident consensus, the outcomes are measurable:  stronger local economies, more affordable housing, improved food security, and deeper community safety. Regent Park is the proof — coordinated community investment there has improved safety, strengthened partnerships, and expanded access to opportunity.

Every dollar invested in community-led planning reduces downstream pressure on emergency services, policing, and healthcare. Resourced communities address needs before they become crises. That is what responsible city spending looks like.