John Tory, councillors prepare for bizarre budget session amid resignation plans

The mayor’s critics say they plan no protest of his presence Wednesday to pass the 2023 budget, will focus on trying to fill service gaps in it.

Thestar.com
Feb. 15, 2023
David Rider
Ben Spurr

As they head into an unprecedented, “uncomfortable” budget session Wednesday, city councillors say they plan to focus on spending for warming centres, policing and more -- not Mayor John Tory or his plans to resign amid scandal.

Tory’s council opponents don’t plan to protest his presence in the chamber.

“I don’t see how theatrics really materially improves anyone’s life,” said Coun. Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9, Davenport), adding her priority will be proposing measures to address “significant service gaps” in Tory’s budget.

Tory announced last Friday he will leave city hall after admitting an inappropriate, extended relationship with a political staffer while he was her boss, but has stayed to present Toronto’s first budget subject to his veto under “strong mayor” powers.

“I would prefer for him to let the 25 elected councillors consider amendments together since we’re the ones that are going to have to continue to govern” if the mayor makes good on his commitment to step down, Bravo said.

Coun. Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth) said: “I’m sure it will be uncomfortable for everybody but we’ll have to get through it in the most mature way we can.”

Tory’s $16.2-billion spending plan includes a seven-per-cent property tax hike, a $48.3-million boost in police spending to hire more officers and a 10-cent fare hike to ride a transit service that will see longer waits for more crowded vehicles.

It is balanced only on hopes the provincial and federal governments will give Toronto $1.5 billion in 2022 and 2023 pandemic aid to replace TTC revenues lost to a ridership plunge and costs to help keep Torontonians safe from COVID-19.

Tory has been working at city hall this week but has not publicly commented on the budget, or when and if he’ll resign amid pleas from some allies that he stay and an opinion poll showing Torontonians split on the subject.

Some councillors say they’ll try to reverse TTC service cuts, add money to keep warming centres for homeless people open 24-7 until April and scrap the budget boost for police.

“Tomorrow shouldn’t be about Mayor Tory -- it should be about Toronto, and a budget that serves Torontonians,” said Coun. Josh Matlow (Ward 12, St. Paul’s).

“The mayor’s going to do what the mayor’s going to do.”

Coun. Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale) said: “I think you will see most if not all of the councillors really focused on what’s best for the city in difficult circumstances. That’s my hope.”

She called it “surprising” that Tory will preside over the budget but noted there is nothing she or her colleagues can do to prevent him from exercising “strong mayor” powers granted by the premier.

“He’s lost a lot of moral authority but he still has his legal authority that Doug Ford gave to him,” said Saxe who, during her successful election campaign last fall, noted her willingness to work with Tory.

She acknowledged it will be difficult to make major amendments to the mayor’s budget while he is still able to use his new power to veto budget changes.

Council could overturn the veto only with two-thirds support.

While some councillors including Jon Burnside, the TTC chair and councillor for Ward 16 (Don Valley East), are begging Tory to scrap his resignation plans, saying “it is essential when there is so much disunity, so many challenges, fiscal or otherwise, that we have that strong leadership,” Saxe says he should go.

“I think what he did was an abuse of the office of the mayor, I think he made the right decision in announcing that he’s going to resign.

“But having made that decision and made that commitment, it would reduce my respect of him if he then refuses,” she said.