Henrik Bechmann (Toronto) 🇨🇦
@henrikbechmann.bsky.social
Retired software dev.
I sometimes discuss City of Toronto budget design and support issues.
IMO government is a collective enterprise, and should be fully transparent and forcefully managed for all, and for the health of the planet.
I sometimes discuss City of Toronto budget design and support issues.
IMO government is a collective enterprise, and should be fully transparent and forcefully managed for all, and for the health of the planet.
I used to store my weekly salads in 2 big plastic containers (it's a bachelor thing).
But now I'm trying individual servings. Grab 'n' eat. 2 a day is about right.
My gut is much happier when I eat salads.
But now I'm trying individual servings. Grab 'n' eat. 2 a day is about right.
My gut is much happier when I eat salads.
February 7, 2026 at 7:56 PM
I used to store my weekly salads in 2 big plastic containers (it's a bachelor thing).
But now I'm trying individual servings. Grab 'n' eat. 2 a day is about right.
My gut is much happier when I eat salads.
But now I'm trying individual servings. Grab 'n' eat. 2 a day is about right.
My gut is much happier when I eat salads.
Did you know that the City of Toronto had a windfall of ~$6.7B during the pandemic?
February 6, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Did you know that the City of Toronto had a windfall of ~$6.7B during the pandemic?
Did you know that City of Toronto operating budgets are over-stated by billions of dollars?
February 6, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Did you know that City of Toronto operating budgets are over-stated by billions of dollars?
I corrected the notes on this normalized budget example
February 5, 2026 at 4:58 PM
I corrected the notes on this normalized budget example
Here's a 2026 "normalized" budget which is closer to the truth (not all information is available to entirely remove the problems). It's actually a ~$17B budget of which ~$15.8B is expenses (not ~18.9B).
A normalized budget would be easier to read and compare with previous years and actuals.
A normalized budget would be easier to read and compare with previous years and actuals.
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Here's a 2026 "normalized" budget which is closer to the truth (not all information is available to entirely remove the problems). It's actually a ~$17B budget of which ~$15.8B is expenses (not ~18.9B).
A normalized budget would be easier to read and compare with previous years and actuals.
A normalized budget would be easier to read and compare with previous years and actuals.
Here's the City of Toronto's definition of its operating budget ("day-to-day"). But in fact its operating budget includes transfers to and from reserves (which are neither day-to-day revenues or expenditures), and discounts and reserves which are wrongly treated as expenses and revenues.
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Here's the City of Toronto's definition of its operating budget ("day-to-day"). But in fact its operating budget includes transfers to and from reserves (which are neither day-to-day revenues or expenditures), and discounts and reserves which are wrongly treated as expenses and revenues.
Fascinating discussion with Gabriel Zucman (albeit a bit technical) mostly about the extreme power of the super rich.
Notably: the super rich are systematically buying and influencing a majority of large media enterprises.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-XU...
Notably: the super rich are systematically buying and influencing a majority of large media enterprises.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-XU...
January 24, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Fascinating discussion with Gabriel Zucman (albeit a bit technical) mostly about the extreme power of the super rich.
Notably: the super rich are systematically buying and influencing a majority of large media enterprises.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-XU...
Notably: the super rich are systematically buying and influencing a majority of large media enterprises.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-XU...
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by allocation
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by allocation
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by functional domain
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by functional domain
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by functional taxonomy
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by functional taxonomy
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by organizational domain
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by organizational domain
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by organizational taxonomy
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by organizational taxonomy
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by resource grouping
January 22, 2026 at 12:14 PM
2026 City of Toronto normalized operating budget by resource grouping
Here is a normalized 2026 City of Toronto Budget by Resource Grouping
January 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Here is a normalized 2026 City of Toronto Budget by Resource Grouping
Here's some more organizational detail.
The organizational taxonomy is taken mostly from the City's budget summary spreadsheets.
The organizational taxonomy is taken mostly from the City's budget summary spreadsheets.
January 21, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Here's some more organizational detail.
The organizational taxonomy is taken mostly from the City's budget summary spreadsheets.
The organizational taxonomy is taken mostly from the City's budget summary spreadsheets.
Here's the normalized City of Toronto 2026 budget by organizational domain.
January 21, 2026 at 9:21 PM
Here's the normalized City of Toronto 2026 budget by organizational domain.
Here's a slightly more detailed look at functions.
January 21, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Here's a slightly more detailed look at functions.
Here's a first high level look (revised).
It's more realistic to see this as a $17.1B budget, not an $18.9B budget.
Operating surplus is down quite a bit (presumably to make the budget more "affordable")
It's more realistic to see this as a $17.1B budget, not an $18.9B budget.
Operating surplus is down quite a bit (presumably to make the budget more "affordable")
January 21, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Here's a first high level look (revised).
It's more realistic to see this as a $17.1B budget, not an $18.9B budget.
Operating surplus is down quite a bit (presumably to make the budget more "affordable")
It's more realistic to see this as a $17.1B budget, not an $18.9B budget.
Operating surplus is down quite a bit (presumably to make the budget more "affordable")
Here it is without the pennies (I must be getting tired)
January 21, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Here it is without the pennies (I must be getting tired)
Here's a normalized 2026 City of Toronto budget by functional domain.
January 21, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Here's a normalized 2026 City of Toronto budget by functional domain.
I've made a prototype normalized City of Toronto 2026 Capital Accounts budget (reconciled). There are no Corporate Account Budget Notes, so I've made assumptions, but I think this is much more realistic. City numbers: rev 3,136,815; exp 2,027,736. See Summary tab: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
January 21, 2026 at 3:02 AM
I've made a prototype normalized City of Toronto 2026 Capital Accounts budget (reconciled). There are no Corporate Account Budget Notes, so I've made assumptions, but I think this is much more realistic. City numbers: rev 3,136,815; exp 2,027,736. See Summary tab: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
I *finally* found a convenient way to slice radishes for a salad.
A hand-cranked grater!
Easy to set up
Easy to operate
Easy to clean
A hand-cranked grater!
Easy to set up
Easy to operate
Easy to clean
January 14, 2026 at 9:25 PM
I *finally* found a convenient way to slice radishes for a salad.
A hand-cranked grater!
Easy to set up
Easy to operate
Easy to clean
A hand-cranked grater!
Easy to set up
Easy to operate
Easy to clean
Let's start with what the City of Toronto does for its people.
Broadly, Toronto provides 3 kinds of services for us:
1. Basic services -- services that help us go about our daily business, including utilities (water, waste, and energy), mobility (transit, roads, parking, sidewalks, bikes)... /3
Broadly, Toronto provides 3 kinds of services for us:
1. Basic services -- services that help us go about our daily business, including utilities (water, waste, and energy), mobility (transit, roads, parking, sidewalks, bikes)... /3
January 13, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Let's start with what the City of Toronto does for its people.
Broadly, Toronto provides 3 kinds of services for us:
1. Basic services -- services that help us go about our daily business, including utilities (water, waste, and energy), mobility (transit, roads, parking, sidewalks, bikes)... /3
Broadly, Toronto provides 3 kinds of services for us:
1. Basic services -- services that help us go about our daily business, including utilities (water, waste, and energy), mobility (transit, roads, parking, sidewalks, bikes)... /3
Another viewpoint is through a resource taxonomy:
For example (from 2021) see Flowthrough grants & subsidies (~15%) and Outsourcing (~10%- probably higher now).
Note that I still had contributions from capital as a capital allocation (should be expense offset -- evolving understanding)
For example (from 2021) see Flowthrough grants & subsidies (~15%) and Outsourcing (~10%- probably higher now).
Note that I still had contributions from capital as a capital allocation (should be expense offset -- evolving understanding)
January 13, 2026 at 12:41 AM
Another viewpoint is through a resource taxonomy:
For example (from 2021) see Flowthrough grants & subsidies (~15%) and Outsourcing (~10%- probably higher now).
Note that I still had contributions from capital as a capital allocation (should be expense offset -- evolving understanding)
For example (from 2021) see Flowthrough grants & subsidies (~15%) and Outsourcing (~10%- probably higher now).
Note that I still had contributions from capital as a capital allocation (should be expense offset -- evolving understanding)
I grouped expenses at the highest functional level into
- basic services - what we all use routinely to go about our business: utilities, mobility, public commons
- support services - municipal constructive interventions: emergency services, human services, health services
/3
- basic services - what we all use routinely to go about our business: utilities, mobility, public commons
- support services - municipal constructive interventions: emergency services, human services, health services
/3
January 13, 2026 at 12:41 AM
I grouped expenses at the highest functional level into
- basic services - what we all use routinely to go about our business: utilities, mobility, public commons
- support services - municipal constructive interventions: emergency services, human services, health services
/3
- basic services - what we all use routinely to go about our business: utilities, mobility, public commons
- support services - municipal constructive interventions: emergency services, human services, health services
/3