Organizations hold protest against Toronto police budget increase

A group of grassroots organizations is speaking out against the increase to the Toronto police budget ahead of the release of Mayor Olivia Chow’s 2024 budget.

Several of the groups encouraged the city to not only reduce the police budget but reallocate those funds to community programs.

“We have data and research that shows repeatedly that policing is not what keeps communities safe and we’ve compiled it all into a website called SaferToronto.com,” said Lorraine Lam with the Shelter and Housing Justice Network.

“The groups that are speaking have actual ideas for what the city can do to make Toronto safer and thriving. We’re insisting that the mayor and city council make active choices towards this.”

Lam adds that police are not equipped to handle calls around homelessness and unhoused people because, ultimately, they don’t have enough resources.

“What we actually need is upstream solutions, invest in more shelter beds, extend hotel shelter, leases expropriate land to create affordable housing so that people actually have a place to go,” said Lam.

“It’s up to city council to make political decisions that make the city into an “actual inclusive and thriving place for all.

“What we’re asking for is political courage and will to make investments into things that will actually contribute to the safety of our cities. We can make active choices, and Toronto does not have to be this way,” Lam explained.

Andrea Vásquez Jiménez, Director of Policing Free Schools, one of the speakers at the protest, said they are asking city council to reallocate more than $250 million spent on police.

“Shift resources and responsibilities away from police and invest into alternative crisis response, social support mechanisms and community-based support models, including the ask for the reallocation of approximately $65 million of funds that are used to police youth and invest those funds and the doubling of youth hubs and youth outreach workers and providing peer mediation and alternative conflict,” said Jiménez.

“The Toronto Police budget continues to siphon funds out of what should be going to our communities. While we need it to divest funds from the policing budget and invest it into evidence-based, multifaceted and intersectional approach measures that actually support the conditions for all Torontonians to thrive.”

Anna Willits with the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition said other services have been required to cut budgets and do more with less and “it’s now time for the TPS to do the same.”

“We believe that the TPS must commit to moving in this direction to focus police resources on violent crime and their core duties as they’re described under the Police Services Act and to free up millions of dollars hundreds of millions of dollars for strategies and programs that address the problems the city faces and build communities up.”

Both the police service and other organizations aren’t happy with the reported proposed increase of more than $18 million.

Police Chief Myron Demkiw has said that the service’s proposed budget would be cut this year without their request for an increase of $30 million, but Chow has suggested the amount is even more when excluding ongoing COVID-19 measures and the use of reserve funds.

“I want to be very clear that the police have received a substantial increase in this budget, $25 million plus $10 million in the reserve for overtime pay for special events,” said Chow on Monday. “Also, another $25 million where they don’t have to put into a city reserve for emergencies, for rainy days.”

On Tuesday, Chow responded saying this budget will be a balancing act.

“It is putting a budget together is about making choices. And I have two more days to make those choices. You will see me presenting a budget come Thursday morning that would address the needs of Torontonians in the most balanced, fair way. Keeping in mind that we need to get the city back on track and make life affordable, caring and safe for Torontonians.”

Chow will be presenting her budget on Thursday and it’s expected to be discussed at City Council on Feb. 14.