Politics
Neighbourhood Commerce Act Funding and Kensington Market Permit Costs
Kensington Market vendors face updated provincial grant formulas under the Neighbourhood Commerce Act that set Toronto's allocation against those received by Ottawa and Hamilton.
How we reported this
The Ontario Legislative Assembly passed the Neighbourhood Commerce Act in June 2026, which revises how municipalities apply for and receive annual grants tied to street-level commerce permits and market maintenance. The changes apply directly to Kensington Market traders who hold seasonal vendor licences through the City of Toronto.
The legislation takes effect as the province updates its transfer payment schedules for the 2027 fiscal year. Municipalities must now submit detailed usage reports on prior grants before receiving new amounts, a requirement that replaces the previous automatic renewal process used through 2025.
Daily Effects for Market Traders
Kensington Market residents who operate food stalls along Augusta Avenue or sell produce on Baldwin Street will submit renewal applications through a new online portal managed by the City of Toronto. Permit fees remain set locally, yet the amount of provincial top-up funding available to offset those fees now depends on Toronto's ranking among other municipalities in the grant formula.
Under the act's schedule, Toronto receives $4.2 million in 2027 for neighbourhood commerce support. Ottawa is allocated $3.1 million and Hamilton $2.7 million, figures listed in the legislation's appendix that reflect each city's reported vendor count and market square footage from 2025 municipal filings.
Next Steps for Implementation
City staff in Toronto will hold information sessions for vendors in August before the first application window opens on 1 September 2026. The government projects that approved grants will reach municipal accounts by December 2026, after which local councils decide how to distribute the funds to specific market sites.
Policy analysts note that the comparative funding levels will be reviewed again when the 2028 schedules are tabled next spring, based on updated vendor registration data submitted by each municipality.