This House, as the City of Toronto, supports implementation of participatory budgeting for community benefit funds (I.e. Section 37 Funds, Community Benefit Charges)

My fellow members of the city council, I stand before you today in opposition to the implementation of participatory budgeting for our community benefit funds.
While I agree that involving the community in the decision-making process for how these funds are spent is a noble idea, I fear that it may not be the most practical or effective solution.
First and foremost, participatory budgeting can be a time-consuming and costly process. It requires significant resources and effort to engage with the community, collect their ideas and suggestions, and then evaluate and prioritize them. This could potentially divert funds and resources away from actually implementing the projects and initiatives that will benefit the community.
Furthermore, participatory budgeting may not necessarily lead to the best use of these funds. While the community may have good intentions, they may not have the expertise or knowledge to make informed decisions about complex and technical issues. This could result in the funds being used in a way that is not in the best interests of the community, or that does not align with the city's overall priorities and goals.
Additionally, participatory budgeting could potentially lead to a lack of accountability and transparency. With the community involved in the decision-making process, it may be difficult to hold elected officials accountable for how the funds are used. This could result in a lack of oversight and potentially even corruption.
For these reasons, I believe that it would be more practical and effective for the city to continue using a more traditional and centralized decision-making process for these community benefit funds. This would allow us to ensure that the funds are used in a way that is responsible, transparent, and in the best interests of the community.
Thank you.