Ontario’s Big City Mayors 2026 budget priorities represent targeted actions that the Government of Ontario must take to build and safeguard the communities that power Ontario’s economy. These priorities include:
- Continued Sustainable Investment in Housing-Enabling Infrastructure
- Strengthening and Enhancing Ontario’s Response to the Health and Homelessness Crisis in our Communities
- Maintaining Public Safety to Respond to New Threats and Pressures
OBCM recognizes the deeply interconnected nature of these priority areas. Sustained funding into housing-enabling infrastructure creates the condition for public and private investment into new housing stock. The creation of more housing is a key component in solving both the affordability crisis and the health and homelessness crisis impacting municipalities everywhere – particularly with housing supply targets, deeply affordable housing and additional supportive housing. Additionally, increased pressures on local police budgets compound the challenges faced locally to develop real solutions for Ontario’s homelessness crisis.
OBCM believes that the solutions to these issues can only be found when municipalities, the province and all parties involved work together. We stand ready to meet these challenges through partnership, dialogue, and bold action. We look forward to learning what the province has included in tomorrow’s budget to address our priorities and to continuing working with them as partners in building cities we can all be proud of.
To read OBCM’s full pre-budget submission to the Government of Ontario go to our website – OBCM 2026 Pre-Budget Submission
About Ontario’s Big City Mayors
Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), is a non-partisan organization that includes mayors of 29 single and lower-tier cities with a population of 100,000 or more, who collectively represent 70% of Ontario’s population and almost 30% of Canada’s. OBCM advocates for issues and policies important to Ontario’s largest cities.
Media Contacts
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward, Chair Michelle Baker, Executive Director
chair@obcm.ca michelle@obcm.ca
905-335-7777 647-308-6602