THURSDAY, MAY 28: at 12 pm noon, we will gather outside Union Station for a rally then march to Queen's Park for a giant protest outside the Ontario Legislature. Groups will be joining in along the way.

📝Read our 2026 pre-budget submission to the federal government, with recommendations on income supports, housing affordability, and other poverty reduction measures: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/federalbudge...

May 19 is Personal Support Worker Day. Delayed and inadequate action to address PSWs’ employment concerns has resulted in labour shortages, compromising access to much-needed care for Ontarians. Read our latest op-ed in the Toronto Star: www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

We just launched our new report - Sheltering Under Pressure: Frontline Realities of Canada’s Violence Against Women Shelters and Transition Houses.  Head to our website to read the full report and learn more: endvaw.ca/research-pol...

This week, changes to the Interim Federal Health Program, a stopgap for refugees and asylum seekers, come into effect. Photographer @chloeellingson.bsky.social & reporter @wencyleung.bsky.social go inside one Toronto refugee centre to tell stories of the people affected. thelocal.to/refugee-heal...

Are you interested in working towards a more equitable Toronto? SPT is currently seeking 2 volunteers to join our 10-member Board of Directors. Learn more and apply: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/join_our_boa...

New federal cuts to Canada's refugee health program take effect this week. The people who work with asylum seekers say the consequences could be devastating. thelocal.to/refugee-heal...

What’s at stake in Ontario’s school board governance overhaul—and how you can take action: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/trustees_equ...

You can’t spend years trying to force people off door-to-door Wheeltrans service if you don’t have working elevators. This isn’t an “inconvenience,” it’s an affront to everyone with accessibility needs. toronto.citynews.ca/2026/04/20/a...

🗳️Toronto has a municipal election on October 26, 2026! What are some of the issues you would like to see prioritized?

Are you interested in working towards a more equitable Toronto? SPT is currently seeking 2 volunteers to join our 10-member Board of Directors. Learn more and apply: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/join_our_boa...

Personal Support Workers are subsidizing Ontario's homecare system with their unpaid labour. Using their personal unpaid time, PSWs are working off the clock to provide adequate care to clients. Read more: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/carework

A prominent tenant union based in Toronto’s northwestern corner that has helped prevent evictions, halt rent increases and force landlords to complete building repairs is going citywide. www.torontotoday.ca/local/real-e...

Give your broken items a second life! Join us on Saturday, April 25, at 349 Ontario St for our Repair Café! Learn how to fix household items with the help of skilled volunteers — free of charge. Let’s reduce waste together this Earth Month. Got repair skills? We’re also looking for volunteers!

Read our March 2026 newsletter: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/march_2026_n...

“[HART Hubs] don’t even seem to be providing what they’re supposed to be providing, which is recovery,” said community worker Diana Chan McNally. One year after closing safe consumption sites, drug treatment isn't more accessible and more people are dying from toxic drugs.

“I’m not sure whether people will make the trip, or in fact, they will just use unsafely, or as we’ve observed, people will start using (on public transit), people are using in public libraries,” Sinclair says. Read more: toronto.citynews.ca/2026/03/19/t... #SitesSavesLives

On March 25, Daily Bread Food Bank is hosting a Candidates’ Debate for the federal by-election in Toronto's University Rosedale riding. Learn more and register: www.eventbrite.ca/e/candidates...

Our report, Caring About Care Workers, is referenced in this article about barriers to immigration: www.thestar.com/news/canada/... Read our report here: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/carework2026

A new report from Campaign 2000 found nearly 1.4 million children in Canada are living in poverty. Read the full report: campaign2000.ca/new-release-... See how you can take action: campaign2000.ca/get-involved...

TTCriders says the city doesn't need more enforcement on transit. “We’ve called for, multiple times, more staff presence, things like station ambassadors and Toronto Community Crisis Service Workers.” Read advocates' pushback to the province's move to grant more powers to transit cops ⬇️

Due to underfunding and privatization, Ontario's home care system is heavily subsidized by the underpaid and unpaid labour of personal support workers. This sector is largely comprised of immigrant and racialized women. Read our report: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/carework

By our calculation, the final 2026 City Budget invests $30.445 million in new and enhanced programs and services, including legal services for tenants and resources for unhoused residents through Toronto drop-in centres. Read our full recap: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/final_2026_c...

Downloading of critical public services without sufficient resources to fund them has left the City of Toronto with an ongoing structural revenue problem. Intergovernmental action is needed: www.socialplanningtoronto.org/toronto_s_an...

It's BUDGET DAY and already questions are being asked about whether mayor Olivia Chow is "raiding" the reserve funds for a very low property tax increase in an election year. Luckily, @benspurr.bsky.social and Mahdis Habibinia explain what's going on here: www.thestar.com/news/gta/is-...

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...