Torontonians will have to wait longer before finding out if Police Chief Bill Blair has decided to cut his department's budget.

Blair was expected to discuss the service's 2012 operating budget with the Toronto Police Services Board on Wednesday but their meeting was unceremoniously postponed less than an hour before it was supposed to start.

Mayor Rob Ford blamed the cancellation on the late arrival of budget documents, claiming members of the board needed more time to look over the details.

"The members only got their information early this morning," Ford told reporters on Friday. "I don't think it is right that people have an hour to review very important documents."

Police Services Board chair Alok Mukherjee said the meeting was delayed because Blair needed more time to cut his budget.

"He was not yet ready with a budget request that gets to the target," Mukherjee told reporters. "It is close, but not yet there."

Two weeks ago, Blair caused a stir at City Hall when he asked for a budget of $944.7 million — a 1.5 per cent jump from last year.

Ford had asked all departments, including police services, to find 10 per cent in savings for the 2012 budget.

The request generated tension between police services and Ford who said he wouldn't budge on his demand for all departments to find savings.

"I've made it quite clear that we're looking for 10 per cent and I'm not leaving any rock unturned," Ford said in early October.

But Blair was equally unyielding, insisting that he would have to lay off police officers in order to meet the reductions.

Shortly after the standoff, Police Board vice-chair Michael Thompson told reporters that Blair could be in danger of losing his job if he didn't make the cuts.

Blair's decision on the police budget is not yet known, but Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said the chief is in tough spot.

"It's a difficult position," he said. "Everybody's got to work together to come up with some solution that's going to make everybody happy."

The public portion of the Toronto Police Services Board meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Natalie Johnson