Proposed Budget

2023 Budget Pressures

• Ongoing COVID impacts (now permanent) – COVID changed people’s spending behaviours and their use of certain programs
• Inflationary impacts
• Burlington’s Assessment Growth is lower compared to other Halton municipalities such as Oakville and Milton
• Additional Funding is needed to support the city’s infrastructure needs

What are Burlington taxpayers, getting for this tax increase?

• Key Investments and Benefits
• New Bylaw Compliance department: modernized service delivery with more bylaw and animal services staff to keep you safe
• The City is investing in more buses and operators to increase ridership and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet our climate goals
• Coyote Response Strategy: to educate residents about living with coyotes while monitoring coyote behaviour and protecting our community
• Fire Master Plan: more firefighters to protect the community
• Home Energy Retrofit Program: we’re taking action against climate change; part of our climate emergency declaration
• New Automated Speed Reduction program to help address local traffic concerns
• More staff in Roads Parks and Forestry and corporate support areas to meet community expectations and manage workload challenges
• Moving city services to new digital technology platforms with new and improved customer-centered solutions and processes 

• Investing in a growing community. Our Infrastructure, the things we own
• New Skyway Community Center: state of the art community centre with an NHL (National Hockey League) sized rink; community meeting rooms, more recreation opportunities like an indoor walking track and all with net zero energy impact. This is tied to climate action.
• Former Robert Bateman High School redevelopment into a new City owned community center hub for leisure and learning.
• When fully completed in 2026, this will be the largest community centre in the city with more recreational space, a pool, an expanded library, Halton District School Board (HDSB) adult education centre, Tech Place and Brock University
• The City needs to invest in the expansion of its Harvester Road Operations Campus where Transit and Roads, Parks and Forestry teams work.

• Staff Strategy and Market-based Salary Competitiveness
• The City needs the best people working here to support our community and maintain quality of life
• Current salaries are comparatively low with other municipalities. We need to be competitive to attract and retain the best candidates, especially those staff on the front lines delivering direct services to you
• The City’s current vacancy rate is 11 per cent which means we have staffing gaps. We need staff to deliver key services to you, our residents. For example, we need more bylaw staff to enforce our bylaws, respond to your concerns and keep you safe

Budget Open Data

View our Budget Open Data application, which displays the City's budget data in an accessible, easy-to-understand format using charts, tables and graphs. The application also helps drive greater government accountability and fiscal transparency.

Key Meeting Dates

• Monday, Jan. 9 at 9:30 a.m.
  Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee: 2023 Budget Overview Report (F-01-23)
• Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 to 8:30 p.m.
  2023 Budget Virtual Town Hall - watch a recording of this meeting at getinvolvedburlington.ca/2023-budget

• Monday, Feb. 6, Tuesday, Feb. 7 and Thursday, Feb. 9 at 9:30 a.m.
  Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee: Review and approval of proposed 2023 Budget, including delegations from the public. Members of the public who would like to speak at the meeting as a delegation can register by calling 905-335-7777, ext. 7481 or visiting burlington.ca/delegation. The deadline to register is noon on Feb. 3, 2023.

• Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 9:30 a.m.
  Meeting of Burlington City Council: City Council to consider approval of proposed 2023 Budget