The Canadian Press

Toronto’s mayor is asking the federal and provincial governments for money to help Canadian cities through a second fiscal year of the COVID−19 pandemic.

Mayor John Tory addressed the Empire Club of Canada on Jan. 12, giving a preview of Toronto’s 2021 budget.

The budget will be brought before Toronto city council on Thursday.

Tory had advocated for a "Safe Restart agreement" for municipalities across the country in 2020, which federal and provincial governments agreed to last year.

He is now calling for a Safe Restart 2.0 agreement as the pandemic stretches into its second fiscal year.

Tory says that if the higher levels of government don’t come through with renewed funding Toronto will have to cut up to $860 million of capital spending.

(C) The Canadian Press