ACORN & Allies Tell Toronto City Council: FUND OUR CITY!

Toronto, Ontario – On February 11, 2025, Toronto ACORN joined hundreds of activists, workers, and community members outside City Hall as City Council debated the 2025 City Budget. The rally was organized by Social Planning Toronto and sponsored by unions and organizations like TTCriders, Toronto & York Region Labour Council, and CUPE Local 79. Together, we called for a budget that prioritizes the needs of everyday Torontonians.

Speakers passionately urged City Council to “fund care, not cops,” advocating for investments in social services, affordable housing, public transit, libraries, and shelters. They highlighted the importance of shifting funds away from policing and towards community care to create a safer, more equitable city. ACORN’s own Stacey Semple spoke of the need for RentSafeTO to be given more funding, staff, and tools to effectively enforce apartment bylaws, while Weston ACORN chapter chair Marcia Stone urged the City to step in to keep housing affordable in light of weak rent control laws.

The rally sent a clear message: Toronto’s future should be built by and for the people who make this city run. Toronto ACORN stands with all organizations pushing for a budget that invests in services that improve lives, and we will continue to fight for a city that values justice, equity, and care.