SocietyPreview

Municipal

Toronto City Council

Governs Toronto

Official website (toronto.ca) Report a problem with this page

Source: data.ontario.ca, checked (+1 more)

At a glance

What it's for

Toronto City Council governs the City of Toronto under its own law, the City of Toronto Act, 2006, which gives it broad powers to provide any service or thing it considers necessary or desirable for the public and to decide what is in the public interest for the City.

City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 1, 2, 6 and 8

What it can't do

A city by-law has no effect to the extent it conflicts with a provincial or federal law or regulation. The City's power to decide its own governing structure does not extend to the composition of council or the division of the City into wards.

City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 2 and 11

Who it answers to

Voters elect the mayor and councillors every four years, on the fourth Monday in October. The City must appoint an Integrity Commissioner, an Ombudsman and an Auditor General and keep a lobbyist registry, and the mayor has special powers under Part VI.1 of the Act.

Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 158, 165, 170 and 177 and Part VI.1

Where its money comes from

Mostly property taxes, set each year by by-law as a tax rate for each property class, plus fees and charges and other direct taxes that the Act lets the City impose by by-law.

City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 259, 267 and 277

Shares responsibility with

Works with the Ontario government: the City of Toronto Act describes a framework that balances the interests of the province and the City.

City of Toronto Act, 2006, s. 2

Next vote

  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 1 Etobicoke North · 10 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 10 Spadina-Fort York · 8 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 11 University-Rosedale · 9 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 12 Toronto-St. Paul's · 6 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 13 Toronto Centre · 11 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth · 18 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 15 Don Valley West · 3 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 16 Don Valley East · 4 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 17 Don Valley North · 7 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 18 Willowdale · 6 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 19 Beaches-East York · 13 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 2 Etobicoke Centre · 3 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 20 Scarborough Southwest · 8 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 21 Scarborough Centre · 11 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 22 Scarborough-Agincourt · 10 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 23 Scarborough North · 8 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 24 Scarborough-Guildwood · 6 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 25 Scarborough-Rouge Park · 10 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 3 Etobicoke-Lakeshore · 4 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park · 10 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 5 York South-Weston · 9 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 6 York Centre · 3 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 7 Humber River-Black Creek · 3 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 8 Eglinton-Lawrence · 6 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Councillor · Ward 9 Davenport · 4 candidates
  • in 13 days General election · Mayor · 53 candidates

Who sits on it

Sourced · checked

Sources for who sits on it

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What it can do

  • Property tax

    Levies property taxes for its own purposes and the education tax (City of Toronto Act, 2006, taxation provisions).

  • Policing

    Is responsible for providing adequate and effective police services, through the Toronto Police Service Board (Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019).

  • Emergency management

    Must develop and implement an emergency management program (Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act s.2.1).

  • Fire protection

    Must establish a fire safety and prevention program and provide the fire protection services it decides are necessary (Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 s.2(1)).

  • Building regulation

    Enforces the Ontario Building Code (Building Code Act, 1992).

  • Land use planning and development

    Prepares the official plan and passes zoning by-laws under the Planning Act.

  • Bylaws

    Passes and enforces by-laws in the spheres of jurisdiction set out in the City of Toronto Act, 2006, including transportation, public utilities, waste management, parks and recreation, animals, business licensing and signs.

  • Municipal purposes

    Has broad powers to govern its affairs and provide services and things it considers necessary or desirable, under its own statute (City of Toronto Act, 2006).

Sourced · checked

Sources for what it can do

  • Property tax ontario.ca · checked
  • Policing ontario.ca · checked
  • Emergency management ontario.ca · checked
  • Fire protection ontario.ca · checked
  • Building regulation ontario.ca · checked
  • Land use planning and development ontario.ca · checked
  • Bylaws ontario.ca · checked
  • Municipal purposes ontario.ca · checked
Report a problem

Sources

  • data.ontario.ca · checked Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2022 Municipal Election - Successful Candidate Data as of Voting Day and Municipal Data (2024-02-22): office titles, number of seats per office, council size, ward or at-large system For: Toronto City Council, Councillor, Mayor
  • data.ontario.ca · checked Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, List of municipalities (CSV municipalities_-_en_2026-0526, updated 2026-06-03): name, status, tier, geographic area, website For: Toronto City Council
  • ontario.ca · checked City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A: City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 1, 2, 6 and 8. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it's for
  • ontario.ca · checked City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A: City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 2 and 11. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it can't do
  • ontario.ca · checked City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 158, 165, 170 and 177 and Part VI.1. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Elections Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 32, Sched.: Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4 and 5; City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 158, 165, 170 and 177 and Part VI.1. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
  • ontario.ca · checked City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A: City of Toronto Act, 2006, ss. 259, 267 and 277. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Where its money comes from
  • ontario.ca · checked City of Toronto Act, 2006, S.O. 2006, c. 11, Sched. A: City of Toronto Act, 2006, s. 2. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Shares responsibility with
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Property tax, Bylaws, Municipal purposes
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Policing
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Emergency management
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: upper For: Emergency management
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Fire protection
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Building regulation
  • ontario.ca · checked Ontario statute named in the power description; section numbers only where confirmed on e-Laws/CanLII 2026-10-11. Tier: toronto For: Land use planning and development
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, ss. 217-218 (council composition; head of council elected by general vote), as consolidated on e-Laws 2026-06-08 For: Councillor, Mayor
  • open.toronto.ca · checked City of Toronto Open Data, Elected Officials' Contact Information 2022-2026 (refreshed 2026-02-20); cross-checked with the toronto.ca Members of Council page on 2026-10-11 For: Ausma Malik as Councillor, Ward 10 Spadina-Fort York, Dianne Saxe as Councillor, Ward 11 University-Rosedale, Josh Matlow as Councillor, Ward 12 Toronto-St. Paul's, Chris Moise as Councillor, Ward 13 Toronto Centre, Paula Fletcher as Councillor, Ward 14 Toronto-Danforth and 21 more
  • en.wikipedia.org · checked Start date: sworn in as 66th mayor of Toronto on 12 Jul 2023 (elected 26 Jun 2023). Checked 2026-10-11, ticket 334 For: Olivia Chow as Mayor
  • toronto.ca · checked City of Toronto, 2026 Municipal Election List of Certified Candidates (data file councilorCandidates_2026.json behind the City Clerk's list page; status Active only), retrieved 2026-10-11 For: General election, October 26, 2026
  • ontario.ca · checked Municipal Elections Act, 1996, ss. 4, 5, 6 and 31 (e-Laws consolidation current 2026-05-11): regular election 2026, voting day fourth Monday in October = 2026-10-26, nomination day third Friday in August = 2026-08-21 For: General election, October 26, 2026
  • toronto.ca · checked City of Toronto, 2026 Municipal Election List of Certified Candidates (data file mayorCandidates_2026.json behind the City Clerk's list page; status Active only), retrieved 2026-10-11 For: General election, October 26, 2026

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