New sponsors have been announced for our 2026 Toronto Budget Rally! Join us at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 10 from 12 - 2 while City Council votes on the 2026 budget. It's time to send a strong message: we need to fund a city where everyone can thrive. socialplanningtoronto.org/fundourcity

The Mayor and City Council have invested more than $266 million in new and enhanced services through the 2024 and 2025 City budgets. These investments form part of the base budget in 2026 and future years. Read our analysis of the Mayor's 2026 Budget: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/mayor_s_budg...

Our latest op-ed in the Toronto Star, published in collaboration with @tngcommunityto.bsky.social, explains why supervised consumption sites are not creating a problem; they are responding to one: www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

On February 10, Toronto City Council will be voting on the 2026 City Budget. Social Planning Toronto and partners are organizing a community rally outside City Hall to let Council know this is no time for cuts. Learn more and RSVP: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/save_the_date

In 2018, Toronto Police Service made a total budget request of just under $1 billion. Since then, the police have seen a steady increase in their budget. This year’s budget proposes a $93.8 million increase from the property tax base: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/2026_police_...

Today and tomorrow, the City of Toronto's Budget Committee will be hosting public meetings to listen to your feedback on the 2026 staff-proposed City Budget. Our Budget Coalition identified our key and urgent priorities: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/the_budget_c...

Join Social Planning Toronto and partners on Monday, January 19 at 2 pm for our Budget Town Hall! We'll review the 2026 staff-recommended City Budget, highlighting key investments and gaps. ASL will be provided. Learn more and register: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/budget_town_...

Stay up to date with all things Toronto City Budget with our CITY BUDGET WATCH newsletter. Ongoing analysis, event listings, ways to get involved and more delivered straight to your inbox. Our first issue of 2026 will go out tonight: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/getupdates

Toronto's budget committee is about to meet to hear about the draft 2026 budget. Most of the headlines — a 2.2% residential property tax increase, a fare freeze — are already written, but let's see if there are any other newsy tidbits. Meeting will stream live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ar...

We're at the TTC Board talking about the BUDGET! A budget which includes a fare freeze and fare capping. Obviously, we're in support. Follow along for updates, or watch live here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=46Zl...

Join Social Planning Toronto this evening, January 7th, from 7 - 9 p.m., for BUDGET 101. Learn more about the City of Toronto's budget process and about effective advocacy strategies. ASL will be provided: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/budget_101

Budget season is here! Through the budget process, Toronto City Council makes important decisions about critical programs, services, and infrastructure Join us this Weds, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. for BUDGET 101, a free virtual workshop. ASL will be provided. www.socialplanningtoronto.org/budget_101

Home care personal support workers reduce pressure on hospitals, emergency departments, and long-term care homes. Yet Ontario is facing home care labour shortages, due to low wages, precarious employment, and poor working conditions. Our new report: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/carework

Immigrant and racialized women comprise the majority of home care personal support workers in the GTA. Our new report, Caring About Care Workers, finds that they are subsidizing Ontario's home care system with their unpaid labour: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/carework

We are so proud of our placement student, Rebecca Smith, whose social justice advocacy has been featured in this TorontoMet Today article. Check out all of TMU planned events for International Day of Persons with Disabilities: www.torontomu.ca/news-events/...

Friends: Join tenants, renters, and housing advocacy groups from across Ontario in a march from FRPO’s head office to Queen’s Park on National Housing Day. STOP BILL 60! Details: TENANTUNION.CA/HOUSI... SATURDAY NOV 22ND 11AM - 1:30PM TORONTO #stopbill60 #onpoli

Social Planning Toronto will be hosting two virtual workshops this month to provide individuals, community leaders, local groups, and service providers with tools and tips to engage in productive conversations around homelessness. Learn more and register: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/events

Last year, food bank visits in Toronto reached an all-time high of 4.1 million. 88% of survey respondents live in unaffordable housing. Nearly half (46%) of survey respondents reported that at least one person in their household is employed. Read more: www.dailybread.ca/research-and...

SPT is one of many non-profits and charities to sign onto an open letter calling on funders to commit to and demonstrate trust-based philanthropic funding practices: www.tamarackcommunity.ca/articles/ope...

New proposed provincial legislation would strip away key tenant protections, fast-track evictions, and open the door to ending rent control as we know it in Ontario. Tell Queen's Park: Don't end rent control acorncanada.org/take_action/...

Bill 60 is outrageous in a province already inundated with mass homelessness. It further limits justice for tenants at the LTB, expedites evictions, and further incentivizes Landlord's Own Use evictions by slashing compensation to tenants. Unconscionable! news.ontario.ca/en/release/1...

In particular, they want leases to no longer necessarily remain in effect indefinitely, so that landlords have more options for creating tenant turnover. Current situation in left-hand column, proposal on the right:

The cost of inaction on poverty far outweighs any investment required to address it. Every dollar spent on social programs, income supports, and targeted benefits is dwarfed by the long-term consequences of poverty. www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

Freeze the rent! Raise the rates! Join SPT and community partners this Thursday, Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Queen's Park as we demand the province enact a rent freeze and raise the rates of ODSP and OW. Learn more: www.noticenorthyork.ca/queensparkon...

On Tuesday October 28 at 7pm, join Workers Action Centre online for the launch of their new report, The Crisis of Wage Theft in Ontario. This report exposes how widespread the problem is and what needs to change. RSVP here: workersactioncentre.org/new-report-o...

SPT has partnered with community activist Diana Chan McNally to create TALKING ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, a free guide to help organizations and individuals develop strong, positive messaging around homelessness and shelters: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/talking_abou...

From the #LocalArchives: The Annex is shrinking. The towers of Crescent Town are exploding. @simonlewsen.bsky.social on a tale of two cities, and how the uneven, illogical densification pattern of the last 50 years created today’s Toronto. thelocal.to/density-the-...

Toronto's inclusionary zoning bylaw, which requires certain developments to include affordable housing units, was supposed to take effect in 2022. Yet due to the province's interference with local democracy, it has been delayed by nearly three years: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/inclusionary...

Some Toronto residents have opposed proposed shelter sites for being too close to parks, daycares, and "family-friendly" neighbourhoods. The reality is, thousands of Toronto children (and their caregivers) are themselves unhoused. Read our latest op-ed: www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

The Etobicoke-Lakeshore Shelter Support Coalition invites curious neighbours to learn together about issues of homelessness via a series of free workshops. Learn more: www.eventbrite.com/e/unhoused-p...

Here are fact-checked biographies and election platform summaries for every candidate running for Ward 25—Scarborough–Rouge Park in the September 29, 2025 by-election. thelocal.to/srp2025/ @TheLocal_TO

A new analysis of provincial data reveals deep inequities in Ontario’s employment services, with social assistance recipients consistently faring worse than other job seekers. Read the full policy brief from Maytree Canada: maytree.com/publications...

Join the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust at the People’s Assembly on Planning! On August 28, TCLT will be developing a Chinatown People’s Planning Policy which respond to the City of Toronto’s ongoing Chinatown Planning Study. Free; RSVP required: www.eventbrite.com/e/peoples-as...

“In Parkdale and across the downtown, the cost of housing has become unbearable for so many residents we serve, so many people here who spend 100 per cent of their monthly income on housing, which really leaves nothing for other essentials." www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

Toronto has 1500+ public parks and hundreds of recreation facilities. The City of Toronto is seeking community feedback on their 20-year Parkland Strategy and Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan. The survey is open until September 14: ca.mar.medallia.com?e=461983&d=l...

Friends, you've got a few more hours to register for today's panel as part of the The Big Power Grab Series to learn more about Bills 6, 17, and 33! Join us, Diana, Yaroslava, and Ahona to talk through these important pieces of legislation! 1/2

The City of Toronto is seeking individuals who have lived experience with poverty to join the third cohort of the Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG). Applications close August 8. Learn more: www.toronto.ca/city-governm...

This is crucial infrastructure that tens of thousands of Torontonians depend on daily. Thank you to @ttcriders.bsky.social for all your advocacy and mobilizing around this issue.

No matter what they’re called, you should know your rights if you’re stopped by a fare inspector, provincial offences officer, or police while on the TTC: www.ttcriders.ca/rights

Per the latest data, 15,418 Torontonians are experiencing homelessness, with 1,604 people sleeping outside. The City intends to open 20 new shelters, with the first 6 underway. Let your elected representatives know you support these plans: www.progresstoronto.ca/petition-tac...

"The number of homeless people in Toronto more than doubled over three and a half years, soaring to over 15,400 as of last fall, new city data shows. ...roughly 10% of them, or 1,615, were living outdoors." #ToPoli

On July 9, @ttcriders is hosting a training session where you can learn how to speak to City Council to advocate for dedicated transit lanes! Learn more: www.ttcriders.ca/shifts

Our 2024/2025 Annual Report is here! See what we've been up to this last year, including publishing an updated child & family poverty report, organizing a panel series on poverty reduction, engaging the public around the city budget process, and more: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/annual_reports

SPT joins partners in calling on the Province to reverse the disastrous policy decision restricting HART Hubs from sterile needle and syringe distribution. These programs are a crucial part of our public health infrastructure, and they must be maintained: www.hivlegalnetwork.ca/site/25032/

The City of Toronto is planning to open up 20 new shelter sites by 2033. In-person community consultations will be held next week in Scarborough and Etobicoke around two of these sites. This is a great opportunity to show your support.

#onpoli gov released school funding numbers: + Per-student funding still below 2018-19 + Provincial funding gap grows to $6.35 bi + TDSB cumulative funding gap: $919M + OCDSB cumulative funding gap: $337M +TCDSB cumulative funding gap: 273M www.policyalternatives.ca/news-researc...

The Bubble Zone Bylaw has been passed. Here's what you need to know about your right to protest: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/the_bubble_z...

We're hiring! Social Planning Toronto is looking for a full-time (35 hours per week) Director of Research, Policy and Communications. See the full listing: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/careers