Item - 2026.EX31.1

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for Social Development in the amount of $0.615 million for Youth Community Service Initiative to be offset by funds secured from the Federal Government.
 

2. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, in partnership with the Chief People Officer, labour partners, City agencies such as the Toronto Transit Commission and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation and community organizations, to develop and implement a plan to capitalize on new federal investments in skilled trades through Team Canada Strong and the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service.

At the July 2025 meeting of City Council, I brought forward a motion to create CityServeTO, a new program to provide paid work experience for youth most vulnerable to violence and crime, aged 16-24. This program was developed through the Mayor’s Youth Safety Task Force and is delivered in partnership with community agencies. 

Now, we have the opportunity to increase our investment in youth safety and expand the program for this summer and give 100 young people aged 14-18 paid work experience serving their community, skills training, mentorship and violence prevention support.  While Toronto also hires 16,000 young people annually through jobs in recreation, special events, museums, and more - CityServe is a targeted program to help the youth and communities that need it most. CityServe prevents youth violence and gives young people more opportunities.

If we empower and support youth, especially those most at risk, we can create safer and stronger neighbourhoods for everyone across our city. By expanding CityServe, we’ll be giving 100 more teenagers access to work experience, a chance to give back to their communities, and a positive, healthy path forward. 

As Mayor, I often speak to the mothers who have lost children to gun violence. It is heartbreaking and traumatizing for families and communities, and it must end. We need to give young people a better path, more opportunity and more hope for the future. That’s how we stop young people from getting in trouble and build long-lasting community safety.