By Fred Alvarado Fred is a community journalist with FOCUS MEDIA ARTS CENTRE

Community members, advocates, and organizations gathered at Nathan Phillips Square to voice their opposition to Toronto City Council’s approval of Mayor Olivia Chow’s 2025 budget. The budget includes a 6.9% property tax increase and a significant boost in police funding, while essential social programs remain uncertain, raising concerns about the city’s spending priorities.

The Fund Our City: Toronto Budget Rally, organized by Social Planning Toronto and its partners, was a direct response to these budget decisions. While the 2025 budget includes funding increases for affordable housing, transit, and a student nutrition program, advocates emphasized that these investments lack long-term guarantees without full support from City Council. With affordability challenges deepening across the city, speakers at the rally called on elected officials to expand essential services and prevent cuts that could disproportionately affect the most vulnerable residents.

Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, based in Regent Park, joined other community groups in demanding a more equitable approach to city spending. The rally became a space for people to share their personal experiences, highlight systemic inequities, and push for a budget that prioritizes communities over policing. Many participants stressed that a city’s safety and well-being depend on investing in people, not just enforcement.

For residents of Regent Park and the Downtown East, events like this go beyond budget concerns—they are about shaping the future of neighbourhoods that continue to struggle with housing instability, food insecurity, and underfunded social programs. Advocates argue that community-led investments in housing, transit, and social services are not just necessary but fundamental to creating a city where everyone can thrive.

Public demonstrations like this serve as a powerful reminder that when communities unite, they can demand change and hold leaders accountable. The rally was not just about protesting a budget decision; it was a call for a city that values equity, sustainability, and the well-being of all its residents.