Toronto Mayor Oliva Chow has indicated a potential increase in property taxes for residents because the city faces a $78 million (equivalent to $107 million Canadian dollars) deficit due to the rise in migrants.

During a Monday news conference, the liberal Canadian politician revealed the city’s reserved funds are exhausted. 

“We have been offering shelter to those who come to Toronto escaping violence, conflict, and persecution, but now the federal government refuses to cover the costs for these services,” Chow, 68, explained.

“The city is currently $107 million short. We are faced with a choice: either stop providing shelter to refugee claimants and risk increasing homelessness and undoing our progress in reducing encampments, or have the people of Toronto cover these expenses through higher property taxes,” she elaborated.

“Neither option is fair. Hence, the federal government must meet its obligations in handling the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.”

When asked about the potential increase in property taxes, Chow noted that the rise would have to be “at least two percent” if the city is to address the financial gap effectively.

She said the city plans to explore this change during its upcoming budget meeting. 

Despite her new move, Chow has not offered to lessen her salary or to halt her costly trade missions. 

She recently went on a trip to London and Dublin in July that cost taxpayers more than $32,000 [$22,991 USD], the Toronto Sun reported. Chow also attended the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month.  

She makes about $225,000 [$161,661 USD] a year, according to a 2024 Ontario Sunshine List, which shows annual Government information. 

The city council just recently received a $33,000-a-year [$23,710 USD] raise, the Toronto Sun said. 

Torontonians saw their taxes increase by seven percent in 2023, 9.5 percent in 2024 and 6.9 percent last year, per the outlet. 

If the proposed two percent tax raise is added to that, the increase could exceed 25 percent. 

That total does not include the regular property taxes that homeowners are set to pay as part of Chow’s 2026 budget. 

According to a report reviewed by CTV News, staff are predicting an adverse year-end operating value of $105.4 million [around $76 million USD]. 

That outcome mainly stems from low funding from the Interim Housing Assistance Program (IHAP) – a federal program that provides funding to cities to manage the financial impact from the influx of asylum seekers and the homeless population. 

Chow’s response to the lack of funds enraged locals, especially conservatives. 

‘Liberals overwhelm Toronto with fake asylum seekers forcing property taxes up on Canadians struggling to pay their mortgages,’ Pierre Poilievre, a conservative member of the House of Commons of Canada, said on X.

‘We must fix the broken Liberal immigration system.’ 

Another wrote: ‘Here I thought maybe she was threatening to tax more to INVEST, like in a subway line. But no. Blow it on welfare.’ 

‘Citizens should get a vote on it if it causes taxes to go up!,’ wrote another. 

Meanwhile, other users said citizens should pay the proposed tax increase because they ‘literally voted for this.’ 

‘No sympathy. Toronto residents voted for this multiple times since 2015. They should pay,’ wrote another. 

‘Wokerontonians getting exactly what they voted for. I don’t feel bad for you at all,’ someone else chimed in. 

Chow previously managed to get money from the federal government to help with migrants who were sleeping on the streets of Toronto in 2023. 

The crisis then sparked the opening of a new welcome center specifically for refugees located near Toronto Pearson International Airport. 

While many agree her plea for money is not the answer, local organizations that focus on helping refugees agree with her. 

Progress Toronto, a city civic group, held a protest Monday morning calling for the federal government to support the IHAP and Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit (COHO) programs. 

They went on to say that the reduction in funding has created ‘a recipe for disaster.’ 

‘We call on all levels of government to work together to ensure no one is left outdoors,’ the group said. 

‘The Canadian government must acknowledge its responsibility to cities and take immediate action to address the growing crisis of homelessness—a national human rights issue,” the group said in a statement.’ 

The Daily Mail contacted Chow for comment.