Item - 2025.EX28.26

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council receive the Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario (MARCO) November 7, 2025 meeting update to City Council outlined in the letter (November 21, 2025) from Councillor Paul Ainslie for information.  

I am pleased to provide this update for your information following my attendance at the recent meeting on behalf of Mayor Olivia Chow. The meeting focused on critical issues impacting Toronto’s ability to deliver housing and infrastructure, and it was an important opportunity for the City to contribute to national and provincial discussions shaping municipal priorities.

The primary goal was to align municipal advocacy on Development Charges (DCs) and infrastructure funding with emerging federal and provincial initiatives, including the Build Canada Homes program and the Build Communities Strong Fund. Toronto’s position emphasized the need for alternative approaches to growth infrastructure that reduce barriers to housing supply.

Discussions included reaffirming municipal leadership in housing affordability through measures to reduce costs for new developments, advocating for predictable long-term funding and streamlined financing to accelerate housing delivery, and addressing significant financial pressures caused by recent legislative changes that threaten municipalities’ ability to fund essential infrastructure.

Participation was vital to ensure Toronto’s voice is heard as federal and provincial partners design programs that directly impact municipal finances and housing delivery. The meeting provided a platform to advocate for funding models that offset revenue losses from mandated Development Charge reductions and to influence national priorities on housing, infrastructure, and public safety.

Advocacy will continue to focus on:

-Infrastructure and Housing: Securing long-term, predictable funding to unlock housing supply and support economic growth.
-Homelessness: Expanding mental health and addictions services, increasing supportive and deeply affordable housing, and providing integrated funding for frontline service managers.
-Public Safety: Establishing a sustainable, needs-based provincial funding model for policing.
-Red Tape Reduction: Streamlining provincial processes to free resources for housing solutions.
-Municipal Finances: Reversing cost downloading and ensuring funding for provincially mandated programs keeps pace with real costs.
 

Additional information may be viewed at Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario