Children and teenagers under 18 can cast a ballot for Toronto's 2027 Tree of the Year this weekend while learning how municipal elections work.
According to a City of Toronto news release, Kids Vote Weekend runs Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all 50 advance voting places across the city.
The ballot features five native tree species: Basswood, Paper Birch, Red Oak, Sugar Maple and White Pine.
A civics lesson at the ballot box
The City says the initiative is meant to introduce young residents to local democracy, elections and the voting process before they are old enough to vote in a real one. Candidate profiles, activities and other resources are available on the Kids Vote Weekend webpage at toronto.ca/KidsVote.
The winning tree will be announced after the October 26 municipal election. It will then be featured in special plantings, tree sapling giveaways and other activities throughout 2027, the City said.
Where to take part
Any of the 50 advance voting locations will accept kids' ballots during the weekend hours. The City has also designated Warden Hilltop Community Centre, at 25 Mendelssohn Street, as a location where media can film the event on Saturday between 11:30 a.m. and noon.
Media attending must follow the City's policy for media presence at voting places and were asked to RSVP to media@toronto.ca by 4 p.m. on Friday, October 9.
The weekend event sits alongside the broader 2026 municipal election, with advance voting for eligible electors already underway ahead of election day on October 26. Full election information is posted on the Toronto Elections webpage, and the City has also published an election fact sheet along with b-roll footage and images for media use.
For young Torontonians, the weekend offers a low-stakes introduction to a ritual of civic life — marked with a paper ballot and, eventually, a sapling. The results of their tree vote will be revealed once the grown-up ballots are counted later this month.
