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The 2012 budget deficit is pegged at anywhere from $500-million to $774-million. So far, councillors who represent wards in the old city of Toronto have largely taken up the fight to preserve services while predominantly suburban councillors are advocating cuts.

Ms. Fletcher says there is legislation in Ontario that allows every single municipality in the province to initiate de-amalgamation — except Toronto. She plans to ask council to endorse a request that the province allow Toronto to split into its six pieces.

“Why shouldn’t Toronto be able to look at a different model. This is not working,” Ms. Fletcher said. “After 15 years, saying we’re cutting almost $1-billion of services people hold dear tells me that amalgamation is not working.”

Mayor Rob Ford said he would have to look at the cost implications before he considered asking the next provincial government to approve de-amalgamating Toronto.

“We have streamlined a lot in our department… to undo everything we’ve done, since 1997, there’s a huge cost to that,” Mr. Ford said. “If it didn’t cost us a dime, I think everybody would agree, let’s go back. We had a surplus in Etobicoke. When Doug Holyday was Mayor, we were doing fantastic.”

Asked if he would support a de-amalgamation effort, Deputy Mayor Holyday said: “Well, if they give me my job back.”

With the provincial election just two weeks away, however, none of the three provincial parties seemed particularly warm to the concept of de-amalgamation.