Council approves 2023 budget focused on improving and protecting the future of our growing city

Burlington, Ont. – Feb. 14, 2023—Burlington City Council has approved the city’s 2023 budget, focused on planning ahead and protecting our city’s future.

As Burlington continues to grow, the 2023 budget will make key investments to ensure our City services, amenities and infrastructure keep pace with the changing needs of the community and address the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key investment priorities include:

• Enhancing frontline service delivery with additional transit operators, firefighters, and bylaw and animal services staff to respond to your concerns
• Funding for two new community centres – Skyway Community Centre located at 129 Kenwood Ave. and the former Robert Bateman High School at 5151 New St.
• $72.6 million of capital investment in 2023 to keep our infrastructure assets like buildings, roads and parks in a state of good repair.
• New funding dedicated to cycling infrastructure
• New automated speed reduction program to help address local traffic concerns
• Free transit for youth (ages 13-19) on evenings and weekends

The property tax bill is made up of three portions, the City of Burlington (48.9%), Halton Region (33.4%), and the Boards of Education (17.7%). The overall tax increase is 7.52 per cent.

A copy of the approved budget book for 2023 will be available online at burlington.ca/budget.

Burlington is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.

Quotes

Joint quote from:
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Paul Sharman, Ward 5 Councillor and Deputy Mayor for Strategy and Budgets

“There is no question this budget presented a challenge to staff, Council and residents, but it also presented a clear opportunity to make our city better – not just for the next few years, but for future generations. The 2023 Budget makes key investments that respond directly to requests from residents about what their priorities are. We recognize these will vary – one person’s ‘need-to-have’ may be another person’s ‘nice-to-have’. We take all input from the community in investing in services that serve all our residents.

We’ve also accounted for inflation, ongoing impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic in revenue losses and increased expenses, and ensuring we are competitive in a tight labour market to attract the best people to deliver the services our residents count on. We are also playing catch-up after years of underfunding in community needs, as well as increasing services for new residents – recognizing that population growth never fully pays for growth.

Burlington’s 2023 Budget represents crucial investments that will benefit our community now and your children, your grandchildren, and their children. We are setting a strong foundation for today and our future, while delivering the services our growing community is asking for.”

Joan Ford, Chief Financial Officer

“The 2023 budget maintains service levels while recognizing higher than average inflation, addresses the continued financial impacts of COVID-19, dedicates funding to ensure our assets are maintained in a state of good repair, and includes strategic community investments for the next 50 years. The budget also enhances frontline service delivery to help address resident concerns and ensure they continue to receive the programs and services that provide for the high quality of life in Burlington.”

Quick Facts

Each year, the City budgets for expenditures in two areas:

• Spending for the capital budget is based on a ten-year plan and translates to services that have a direct impact on resident daily life, such as developing new parks, renewing existing roadways or revitalizing recreation facilities. The 2023 capital budget is $72.6 million, with a ten-year program of $878 million.
• Spending for the operating budget is for the City’s day-to-day costs, of delivering services such as fire protection, transit, maintenance of parks, and providing recreational programming. The 2023 operating budget is $314.3 million.

Links and Resources

• For more information about Burlington’s 2023 budget, visit burlington.ca/budget

Images

• Infographic depicting the three portions that make up the City of Burlington property tax bill - the City of Burlington, Halton Region, and the Boards of Education.
• Infographic showing the key investment priorities in the 2023 budget.

-30-