Building a Better Budget Process in Toronto

The City of Toronto’s 2018 municipal budget cycle is in full swing. Council’s Budget Committee has begun debating $12 billion worth of city spending based on a seemingly endless supply of financial reports compiled by staff. Making sense of the numbers is remarkably difficult, even for the closest City Hall watcher.

To lift the veil, the Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG) and the U of T School of Public Policy and Governance (SPPG) convened a panel to shed light on how the annual process works and how it might be improved.

How are budget decisions actually made? Who’s accountable? Is there meaningful opportunity for community input? What needs to change?

Presented in partnership with:

View Gabriel Eidelman’s opening remarks here.

View Joe Pennachetti’s presentation here.

View Shelley Carroll’s presentation here.

View Benjamin Dachis’ presentation here.

View Riley Peterson’s presentation here. 

Speakers

Shelley Carroll, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 33 and former Budget Chair

Benjamin Dachis, Associate Director, Research, C.D. Howe Institute

Joe Pennachetti, IMFG Senior Fellow and former Toronto City Manager

Riley Peterson, Budget Lead, Toronto Youth Cabinet

Moderator
Gabriel Eidelman, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy & Governance, and co-founder of the University of Toronto City Hall Task Force