This page is about the 2019 Budget.
Looking for the draft 2020 Budget? Review the draft 2020 Budget
To build our budget each year, we must balance the need to provide services, facilities, and infrastructure that meet the needs of our residents and businesses with the desire to keep property tax and utility rate increases at a manageable level.
Get to know the 2019 Budget
- What makes up the 2019 Budget
- What we heard is important to you
- Key investments for 2019:
- Property tax increase
Budget documents:
What we heard is important to you
We consult each year with residents and businesses about what’s important for them. For the 2019 Budget, we heard that the following issues and preferences for City spending were the most important to you.
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Increase housing supply and affordability, and improve availability and supports for renters and vulnerable citizens
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Maintain and improve operations and service levels
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Invest in public safety
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Continue to build vibrant communities and public spaces that support arts, culture, and the environment
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Meet our commitments to provide safe and healthy workplaces and public spaces
We regularly realign existing resources and spending levels in response to changes in demand for valued services and to changes in priorities over time. Where necessary, and where informed by feedback from public consultation, we make new investments in emerging priorities.
Key investments for 2019
The 2019 Budget includes both capital and operating investments, which are needed to make progress on the core issues in our city and to ensure the services most valued by our residents and businesses are improved.
The level of investment reflects the needs of a growing city, including housing supply, affordability, and critical social issues, while maintaining and upgrading key City infrastructure.
Operating investments
Capital investments
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One Water: $86 million
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Transportation: $72 million
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Parks and open spaces: $44 million
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Public safety, civic facilities, and equipment: $39 million
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Affordable housing: $30 million
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Technology: $27 million
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Renewable energy: $23 million
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Arts and culture and community facilities: $22 million
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Solid waste: $15 million
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Childcare: $1 million
Property tax increase
Despite fixed costs rising faster than inflation, we have been able to reduce the impact of the fixed costs increases and support $27.8 million in new investments through:
Tax or fee type | 2019 increase |
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Property tax | 4.5% |
Utility fees (combined) | 8.7% |
Water |
9.7% |
Sewer |
11% |
Solid waste |
3.1% |
Median single-family home combined municipal property tax and utility fees | 6.1% |
Tax increase of 4.5%
The 2019 Budget includes a property tax increase of 4.5% driven primarily by:
- 1% to fund additional investments in infrastructure renewal approved in the 2019-2022 Capital Plan
- 1.7% to cover increased costs related to the provincial government’s new Employer Health Tax
- 1.8% to cover inflationary and wage costs of existing services and new investments to maintain and improve services