Initiated in 2015, Toronto's three-year Participatory Budgeting (PB) pilot program opens up municipal budgeting to members of the public, giving them the opportunity to vote on funding community investment projects from a portion of the municipal budget. Since then, seven winning projects worth a combined $435,000 have been constructed, ranging from park improvements to neighbourhood beautification.
Now in its second year, the PB pilot program will offer up to $750,000 in community improvement projects in 2016. $250,000 from the capital budget has been earmarked for each of three communities across the city; the entire Ward 33, the Oakridge neighbourhood in Ward 35, and the Rustic neighbourhood in Ward 12. All residents of pilot areas aged 14 years or older are eligible to vote on community projects and improvements, with the stipulation that the ideas must be located on City-owned land. All approved projects would be constructed within 18 months of being voted in.
City Hall, image by Jack Landau
A series of meetings are being held in the affected areas to collect ideas from members of the public, with the first meeting scheduled to take place today in the Oakridge community. In addition to the meetings, information will be collected until September 30th. Next month, community members will collaborate on a shortlist for the final ballot, with voting planned for November and December.
A list of meeting dates, times, and locations for the three areas can be found here: http://www.toronto.ca/PBtoronto.