Councillor Update - January 2026

2026 has arrived! I hope you and your loved ones had a chance to relax and celebrate this past holiday season. While the weather continues to be erratic, one thing you can count on is local drop-in skating rinks being open this winter, such as at the Regent Park Athletic Grounds, Moss Park Arena and Toronto Metropolitan University Square. Grab your skates, consult the City's online map to see the rink's status, and let’s make the best of the cold weather while it lasts!

Today, City staff released budget briefing notes for the 2026 City Budget, and it appears there will effectively be a 50% funding cut from what was originally promised for the 2025-2030 Downtown East Action Plan (DEAP). If you attended any of my town halls over the past three years, you’ve heard me speak about how important and valuable this plan is. Toronto Centre is a ward with a growing population and the largest concentration of social services in the City, which puts significant pressure on our roads and open spaces. The DEAP provides more supports to keep our vulnerable residents safe and our streets and parks clean. That cannot happen without the funding it requires, and I have significant concerns that the DEAP will receive about half the funding it was promised for this year.

In 2025, staff at Social Development, Finance and Administration identified that $2.2 million was required to properly fund the 2025-2030 DEAP. A phased in approach was adopted that allocated only $756,000 for DEAP initiatives in 2025, with funding to ramp up to $1.5 million in 2026, with the full $2.2 million allocated in 2027 and beyond. These additional monies will fund critical initiatives such as: 1) additional outreach programs and crisis intervention services; 2) additional targeted street cleaning; 3) business improvement area supports; 4) engagement with Indigenous peoples and Indigenous-serving community agencies; and 5) third-party evaluation to make sure the DEAP is being implemented effectively and achieving its stated goals.

Troublingly, the DEAP in the 2026 budget loses the additional $750,000 funding previously pledged. That means more litter on our streets, more encampments in our parks and on our sidewalks, and fewer supports for businesses who are often bearing the brunt of the ongoing mental health and addictions crises.

I need you to raise this issue with the Mayor and Budget Committee to keep the DEAP properly funded. Join telephone town halls on January 14 and 15, speak to Budget Committee on January 20 and 21 and attend my joint budget town hall with Deputy Mayor Malik on January 13. Help keep our streets clean and our vulnerable residents supported.

Yours in service,

Chris Moise
City Councillor
Ward 13 - Toronto Centre

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Councillor Update - January 2026

Latest posts

REmarket: February 11 and 12!

Black Excellence Panel - February 7

Nominations Now Open: Toronto Community Champion Award

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