What to know
- Brad Bradford is pledging to freeze Toronto’s property tax rate for one year if elected mayor.
- The mayoral candidate says an independent group would conduct an item-by-item review of city spending.
- Bradford says the review would look for waste, duplication and outdated programs while protecting frontline services.
- His campaign says the freeze could be funded through recurring gaps between the city’s budgeted and actual property-tax-supported spending.
Mayoral candidate Brad Bradford is pledging to freeze Toronto property taxes for one year if elected, saying the move would give the city time to conduct an independent review of its spending.
Bradford made the announcement Tuesday evening during the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s mayoral debate, where he said the review would examine the city’s spending “line by line.”
Under the proposal, the freeze would apply to the city tax rate for both residential and commercial properties.
Bradford said the independent review would examine every city division, agency and program, with the goal of identifying potential waste, duplication and outdated programs while protecting frontline services.
He said the review would be led by an independent group of experts and former city leaders.
“Every family in this city has had to sit down at the kitchen table and figure out exactly where their money goes. City Hall should have to do the same,” Bradford said in a statement announcing the proposal.
Bradford said the tax freeze could be funded through what he described as recurring room in the city’s budget.
According to Bradford’s campaign, the city’s property-tax-supported spending came in below budget by about $100 million in 2025 and about $130 million in 2024. Bradford argues that this recurring gap could be used to offset a one-year property tax increase.
The campaign says a two per cent property tax increase generates roughly $100 million.
Bradford also said Toronto needs to become more competitive for businesses and investment, arguing that a year of certainty around property taxes could provide some relief for employers.
The proposal comes as the city’s 2026 budget includes a combined 2.2 per cent increase in residential property taxes.
Bradford said that, following the spending review, future property tax increases under his plan would be kept below the rate of inflation.
The Toronto Region Board of Trade debate featured Bradford, Olivia Chow and Chris Alexander. Toronto’s municipal election is set for Oct. 26.
