Toronto wants to hear from as many residents as possible this fall about the city budget next year because officials know that times are tough, Mayor Olivia Chow says.

About 200 people attended the city's first of six pre-budget consultations on Tuesday evening. The consultation was held at St. Lawrence Market North.

This year is the third that the city is reaching out to residents in advance of drafting its budget.

Chow told reporters she expects affordability to be a priority this year, along with continued efforts to improve public safety.

"Times are a bit uncertain. People are feeling the pinch... People are a bit worried about their jobs. They are feeling uneasy. And this is the time for us to hang tight and say let's protect our wallets a bit," Chow told reporters.

Asked about t

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