The Toronto Police Service is asking for a significant financial injection to its operating budget for the year 2026. The request, made public on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, seeks an increase of nearly $100 million to fund its operations in the coming year.
Budget Request Amidst Complex Crime Trends
This substantial budget appeal arrives against a backdrop of mixed crime statistics in the city and across Canada. While overall national homicide rates have seen a decline, a recent report from Statistics Canada highlights a troubling counter-trend: an increase in the number of young people being charged with murder. This data point underscores the complex challenges facing urban police services, where resources must be allocated to address evolving patterns of crime, particularly those involving youth.
Context of the Financial Ask
The request for enhanced funding will now become a central part of the city's budget deliberations. Police budgets represent one of the largest single expenses for municipal governments, and this near-nine-figure ask is sure to generate considerable debate among city councillors and the public. The police service will need to justify how these additional funds will be deployed to improve community safety, support frontline officers, and address specific issues like the rise in serious youth-related offences.
Other Canadian cities are simultaneously grappling with their own budget pressures. For instance, as Toronto police present their case, a municipal council in another province has made headlines for cutting climate funding while boosting transit spending, illustrating the difficult trade-offs local governments must make.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The final decision on the Toronto police budget will be made by the city council following a period of review and consultation. The outcome will set the financial course for the service for the 2026 fiscal year, impacting staffing, equipment, and program funding. The debate will likely focus on balancing the demonstrated need for effective policing with fiscal responsibility, all while considering the broader societal factors contributing to crime statistics, such as those highlighted by StatCan.
As the process moves forward, residents and stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the city plans to invest in public safety while managing its overall financial health.