Peterborough County Council Approves 2024 Budget

Peterborough County Council has approved the 2024 Budget entails a rise in the levy by 6.29 per cent during Wednesday’s meeting.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough County.

The budget changes include:

• a dedicated infrastructure levy set at 2.5 per cent

• an increase of 2.57 per cent for the Operating Budget

• and an increase of 1.22 per cent for the Shared Services Budget

This increase in the levy translates to a tax rate increase of 5.69 per cent or approximately $21.81 for every $100,000 in residential assessment.

“Peterborough County staff were tasked with presenting a budget that is both responsible and comprehensive, and they successfully fulfilled that mandate,” said Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden. “This budget will enable the County to tackle both operational and capital infrastructure needs, all while managing the challenges of inflation and the cost of living that persistently affect our ratepayers as well as the County's operations, finances, and those of our service provider partners.”

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City of Peterborough Posting 2024 Budget For Review Ahead of Several Public Meetings

The City of Peterborough’s Draft 2024 Budget will be posted for public review next week Monday before a series of public meetings in the next two months, announced on Monday.

Photo by Keegan Beekers.

City Council will consider approving the financial plan on Dec. 11.

Council is expected to hear a brief presentation and receive the Draft Budget for information, with no discussion or debate on the topic at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 6.

Residents can speak with City staff from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the McDonnel Street Community Centre at 577 McDonnel St.

An informal drop-in opportunity to speak with City staff and the Finance Committee Chair and Vice-Chair about the Draft 2024 Budget is being held from 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the main foyer of City Hall, 500 George St. N.

A formal meeting of City Council’s Finance Committee will be held starting at 6 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Council Chambers at City Hall for Council to hear from registered public delegations on the Draft 2024 Budget. Visit peterborough.ca/delegations or call 705-742-7777 ext. 1820 to register as a delegation.

Council will hear from specific local boards and agencies on their 2024 Budget requests to the City during a Finance Committee meeting on Nov. 15.

Council will hold a series of Finance Committee meetings scheduled for Nov. 20 to 23 to review, discuss and debate the contents of the Draft 2024 Budget according to a press release. There are no public delegations during the Finance Committee meetings November 20 to 23. The meetings are open to the public and can be watched live.

Council is anticipated to consider approving the City’s 2024 Budget at its meeting on Dec.11. There is another opportunity for registered public delegations to speak at this meeting. To register as a delegation, visit peterborough.ca/delegations or call 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.

The City started the 2024 Budget process in March with community consultation, including a survey and public meetings. Council held Finance Committee meetings in May and June to review information and consider input from the community. In August, Council held meetings to hear detailed breakdowns of budget implications for services and capital projects before setting a guideline for putting together the Draft 2024 Budget.

Upcoming public meetings on the Draft 2024 Budget:

• Presentation of Draft 2024 Budget, Finance Committee meeting, no public delegations, on Nov. 6, at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• Public meeting, brief presentation and opportunity to ask questions, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Nov. 9, at McDonnel Street Community Centre, 577 McDonnel St.

• Informal drop-in opportunity, 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, November 14, in the main foyer, at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• Finance Committee meeting, registered delegations presenting to Council, starting at 6 p.m., Nov. 14, at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• Finance Committee meetings, presentations from invited local boards and agencies, no public delegations, Nov.14, at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• Finance Committee review, discussion and debate on the Draft 2024 Budget, no public delegations, scheduled for November 20 to 23, 2023, at City Hall, 500 George St. N.

• City Council considers approval of 2024 Budget, registered delegations can present to Council, Dec. 11.

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Peterborough County Council Approves 2023 Budget

The Peterborough County Council has approved the 2023 Budget at Wednesday’s meeting.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

The total increase is 4.93 per cent which includes a dedicated infrastructure levy of 2.5 per cent.

“Staff have brought forward an extremely fiscally responsible budget again this year. There are so many outside influences, that are beyond our control and yet together with our Finance Committee, we are bridging the infrastructure gap and fulfilling our mandate to our residents,” said Warden Bonnie Clark.

For 2023, the tax levy increase of 4.93 per cent approximates an increase of $19 per each $100,000 of residential assessment and equates to an approximate 3.9 per cent tax rate increase.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

Approximately 51 per cent of the total tax levy increase is dedicated to capital infrastructure, with the remaining 49 per cent supporting County operations and the External/Shared Services.

photo courtesy of peterborough county council.

Each 1 per cent levy increase is equal to approximately $507,000 of additional revenue.

“Our Finance Committee did not lose any momentum even though we had a number of new Councillors on the committee, they grasped the technology and tools quickly. We met our objectives using our system we implemented last year, and things moved very smoothly,” said finance committee chair Councillor Matthew Graham.

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City of Peterborough Approves 2023 Budget; 3.15 Per Cent Property Tax Increase

City Council approved the City of Peterborough 2023 Budget, increasing property tax by 3.15 per cent for residential properties not on the water during Monday’s Council meeting.

File Photo.

The proposed increase was reduced by 0.85 per cent from its initial guideline during detailed budget reviews earlier this month according to a press release.

“Council made changes to the draft budget to ensure that investments reflect the priorities of the community, including spending on critical infrastructure and providing support for housing and homelessness, while at the same time respecting the current financial conditions,” Mayor Jeff Leal said. “Our community is building a better tomorrow, together.”

For the typical household, the proposed all-inclusive increase (municipal, education, and sewer surcharge) will equate to an additional $4.44 monthly or an additional $53.23 annually per $100,000 of residential assessment.

“Residents in our community are feeling the costs of inflation and the challenging economic environment in their daily lives. Municipal services are also impacted by those pressures,” said Councillor Andrew Beamer, Council’s finance chair. “Council made difficult decisions to lessen the increasing cost of services for taxpayers, drawing from reserves to meet needs in some areas and cutting spending in other areas to push down the tax increase.”

The budget process started in March last year with community consultation including a survey and a series of drop-in style meetings. Council approved the guidelines for drafting the budget documents in July of the same year. The Draft 2023 Budget was presented on Dec. 5.

The Operating Budget includes roughly $325.8 million for programs and services including waste management, road maintenance, wastewater sewers and treatment, social assistance, affordable housing, recreation, arts and heritage, fire services, and policing.

The Capital Budget is approximately $131.2 million for various infrastructure and capital projects such as road work, a household organic waste composting facility and collection equipment, flood reduction efforts, facility maintenance, funding for the planned replacement of a fire station, sanitary sewer repairs, construction of a new twin-pad arena and police capital projects.

Budget highlights

How the municipal portion of taxes is spent (cost per $100,000 of residential assessment):

23.6 per cent goes to external organizations, including: 

• Peterborough Police Service $232.59

• Peterborough Paramedics $48.89

• Fairhaven Long-Term Care $12.79

• Peterborough Public Health $10.85

• Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development $8.64

• Otonabee Conservation $6.64

• Peterborough Humane Society $3.63

• Business Improvement Areas $1.42

• Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster $1.15

22.9 per cent goes to infrastructure and planning services, including:

• Engineering, Construction and Public Works $102.14

• Transportation $103.79

• Environmental Services $60.59

• Peterborough Airport $18.19

• Asset Management and Capital Planning $12.93

• Planning $10.66

• Building Inspection and Protective Services $6.91

• Office of Infrastructure and Planning Services $1.42

22 per cent goes to capital levy, debt payments, and other financial expenditures, including:

• Capital financing costs $265.67

• Property taxation costs $24.15

• Other expenditures $10.86

• Contingency provision $3.83

13.3 per cent goes to Community Services, including:

• Social Services $95.95

• Arts, Culture and Heritage $42.87

• Arenas $18.88

• Community Services Administration (incl. community grants) $17.18

• Recreation $9.70

11.8 per cent goes to fire services and the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, including:

• Fire Services $149.46

• Communication Services $5.95

• Office of the Chief Administrative Officer $4.65

• Emergency Management $4.01

5.9 per cent goes to Corporate and Legislative Services, including:

• Corporate Information Services $29.79

• Financial Services $18.55

• Human Resources $9.87

• Facilities Management $9.58

• City Clerk $7.08

• Legal Services $5.51

• Facilities and Planning Services $1.35

0.5 per cent ($6.51) goes to City Council

The total of the municipal portion is $1,384.63 per $100,000 of assessment.

Highlights of the 2023 Budget include:

• Police budget includes 11 new hires as the Peterborough Police Service continues to experience an increasing number of calls for service, increasing crime severity in the community, and an increasing population in the communities it serves.

• $6.1 million in municipal spending for housing and homelessness services (a 5.7 per cent increase compared to 2022), including support for approximately 2,000 social housing units, rent supplements, and the operation of four emergency shelters with 106 shelter beds.

• $7.6 million in the capital budget toward the $21.2-million household source-separated organics program implementation with a City-wide green bin program expected to start in fall 2023.

• $1 million for urban forest management strategic plan implementation for tree planting and urban forestry management.

• $750,000 to upgrade 3,000 street light fixtures to LED lights, which reduce energy use and energy costs.

• Holding Peterborough Transit expenses at the 2022 level which reduces the 2023 net requirement by $951,000.

• Deferring an $800,000 project that is part of upgrading water and sewer service to the Peterborough Airport until a land deal is reached to bring the airport property within the City of Peterborough boundaries.

• Establishing a permanent, annual individual artist grant program at $50,000 a year, through a three-year agreement with Electric City Culture Council with funding from the capital budget in 2023 and the program built into the operating budget in 2024 and 2025;

• Providing $281,800 from the capital levy reserve for the final two installments of the City's contribution to the Eastern Ontario Regional Network cell gap project as approved by Council in 2019;

• Using $287,780 from a reserve and contingency to provide additional funding, in addition to the amount included in the Draft 2023 Budget documents, to Peterborough Public Health;

• Deferring, until consideration in the 2024 Budget, a proposed $150,000 project for the next stage of the development of a Downtown Heritage Conservation District Plan; and

• Using $200,000 from the Social Services Reserve to add a third worker at the overflow shelter program and Brock Mission to help individuals with better support for referrals to services and to assist with housing searches, develop more of a harm-reduction focus, address service restrictions differently, and other functions.

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