Toronto Community Investment Bank (TCIB)

A Bank for Toronto: Building a Safer, Stronger, and Fairer City

For too long, the profits generated by hard-working Torontonians have left our communities to line the pockets of big corporate banks on Bay Street. Meanwhile, our city faces an affordable housing crisis, a $ multi-billion transit repair backlog, and neighborhoods that need real investment.

It’s time for a bold change. As your next city leadership team, we will establish the Toronto Community Investment Bank (TCIB) (which has a legal format as a credit Union) -Canada’s first municipally owned, public-interest financial institution. By keeping Toronto’s money working right here in Toronto, we will fix our transit, protect our vulnerable neighbors, and make our communities safer.

The Core Pillars of the TCIB Platform

1. A Better Transit System for All 

We will integrate the TCIB directly with the TTC to lower costs for riders and build the infrastructure our city desperately needs.

• The "Toronto Transit" Card: A no-fee civic banking card that automatically cuts your TTC monthly fare-cap from 47 trips down to 35 trips if you are a youth, senior, or low-income resident.

• Transit Cash-Back: Get 1.5% cash-back on every purchase you make at a local Toronto small business, credited directly to your TTC fare balance.

• Buying Our Own Trains: Instead of paying high interest to corporate lenders, TCIB will issue tax-sheltered Municipal Transit Bonds so Torontonians can invest in our own city, directly funding the next generation of subways, streetcars, and electric buses.

2. Keeping Our Neighborhoods Safe

True public safety means investing in people and neighborhoods before crises happen.

• The "Toronto Lifeline" Account: Guaranteed zero-fee, zero-minimum-balance bank accounts for every resident, ensuring everyone has access to safe, mainstream financial services.

• Emergency Micro-Loans: Fast, low-interest emergency loans to help families facing sudden eviction or utility shutoffs, preventing them from falling into homelessness.

• Community Wealth Building: Subsidized loans to non-profits and land trusts to build youth hubs, mental health clinics, and affordable grocery stores in priority neighborhoods.

3. Instant Disaster Relief

When climate emergencies or infrastructure failures hit Toronto, we cannot afford to wait months for federal or provincial red tape to clear.

• Instant Emergency Payouts: If your neighborhood experiences a severe flash flood or prolonged blackout, TCIB will instantly push a $500 emergency grant directly to the mobile wallets of affected residents based on their postal code.

• A Shielded Climate Fund: A dedicated municipal line of credit to ensure Toronto Hydro and Toronto Water can begin repairing critical public assets within hours of a disaster, not weeks.

How We Will Build It: Safely and Responsibly

We know that managing public funds requires absolute transparency and fiscal responsibility. Our transition plan ensures your tax dollars are completely protected:

1. Strictly Independent Governance: To completely eliminate political interference, the TCIB will be run by a board of certified financial professionals, not politicians or city councilors.

2. No High-Risk Speculation: The bank’s charter will strictly prohibit commercial real estate speculation and corporate lending outside of Toronto.

3. Mandatory Safety Allocation: The bank's charter will legally mandate that at least 25 % of the total loan portfolio must be permanently dedicated to public safety infrastructure and community-led violence prevention.

Join the Movement

The Toronto Community Investment Bank isn’t just a financial policy—it’s a declaration that Toronto's wealth belongs to Toronto's people. Together, we can build a city that is self-reliant, resilient, and fair for everyone.

Vote for a stronger, safer Toronto. Vote for the Toronto Community Investment Bank. VOTE4SHABANI