The proposed draft budget 2016 sets out an affordable financial plan that would allow the City of Ottawa to make progress on its priorities, to live within its means, and to protect front-line services.
The City of Ottawa continues to make record investments in community priorities such as transit and active transportation, affordable housing, and economic development. At the same time, City Council has directed staff to undertake a multi-year review of efficiency measures in order to address structural financial issues, create a more innovative organization, and to ensure the City is able to deliver on its long-term priorities.
Draft budget 2016 proposes the City maintain a predictable tax revenue increase of 2% while increasing other fees in line with long-range affordability plans and the cost of delivering services. It also proposes several common-sense efficiency measures in order to address budget pressures.
Budget 2016 delivers on commitments to create a more affordable, caring, sustainable and prosperous city that will benefit every community. City-wide highlights for 2016 include:
An Affordable City
- Limiting the proposed tax revenue increase for City and Police to 1.75 per cent, translating to a 2 per cent increase for a residential property
- Limiting the proposed transit levy to 2.5 per cent, resulting in a 2.85 per cent increase on the transit share of the residential tax bill.
- Maintaining the Rate-Supported Water and Sewer Charge increase at 6 per cent, as approved in the latest Long Range Financial Plan, and completing a water-rate review to consider options for future water and sewer rates.
- Freezing garbage fees for the fourth consecutive year
A Caring City
- Continuing to invest in affordable housing and homelessness programs with a further $2-million increase in funding for programs that make a difference in peoples’ lives through rent subsidies, new housing units and renovations of older housing stock
- Continuing a $50,000 increase to low-income families seeking access to recreation programs
- Increasing the funding for community resource and health centres by 1.5 per cent to $11.2 million, to allow them to continue delivering crucial services at the local level, especially for vulnerable individuals
- Continuing to fund crime prevention and a gang exit strategy, and adding 25 new police officers
- Strategically investing in recreation infrastructure and supporting recreation programming
- Investing in social supports through community funding
A Sustainable City
- Allocating $200,000 to maintain our 40-kilometre winter cycling network
- Delivering new cycling infrastructure including bike lanes on Mackenzie Avenue, breaking ground on the first phase of the O’Connor Street bike lane, and opening the $9.2 million Somerset-Donald pedestrian and cycling bridge
- Maintaining the increased funding of $125,000 for tree planting
- Renewing investment in the Municipal Green Fleet
- Breaking ground on the combined sewage and storage tunnel – the largest project of the Ottawa River Action Plan
- Converting street lights across the city to more-efficient LED technology
A Prosperous City
- Continuing Stage 1 of the O-Train Confederation Line light rail transit project as well as investing $10 million in renewing other transit infrastructure such as resurfacing and extending sections of the Transitway
- Developing an Arts Precinct in downtown Ottawa that includes the expansion of the Ottawa Art Gallery, redevelopment of Arts Court and new streetscaping on Rideau Street
- Investing in new transportation infrastructure to accommodate growing neighbourhoods in the west, south and east of Ottawa
- Rehabilitating parks and recreation facilities, including $3.5 million to upgrade recreation centres, develop new splash pads and install new park play equipment
- Limiting the proposed tax revenue increase for City and Police to 1.75 per cent, translating to a 2 per cent increase for a residential property
- Limiting the proposed transit levy to 2.5 per cent, resulting in a 2.85 per cent increase on the transit share of the residential tax bill
- Maintaining the Rate-Supported Water and Sewer Charge increase at 6 per cent, as approved in the latest Long Range Financial Plan, and completing a water-rate review to consider options for future water and sewer rates
- Freezing garbage fees for the fourth consecutive year
Property Tax Impact
Urban Home Average Assessment: $375,300 | Rural Home Average Assessment: $375,300 | Commercial Property Average Assessment: $294,100 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Area |
2015 | 2016 | 2015 | 2016 | 2015 | 2016 |
City Wide |
2,175 | 2,219 | 2,021 | 2,061 | 3,304 | 3,333 |
Police |
553 | 564 | 553 | 564 | 838 | 845 |
2,728 | 2,783 | 2,574 | 2,625 | 4,142 | 4,178 | |
$ Change | 55 | 51 | 36 | |||
% Change | 2.00% | 2.00% | 0.88% | |||
Transit | 595 | 612 | 175 | 180 | 911 | 922 |
$ Change | 17 | 5 | 11 | |||
% Change | 2.85% | 2.85% | 1.25% | |||
Garbage Fee | 82 | 82 | 82 | 82 | Not Applicable | Not Applicable |
TOTAL | 3,405 | 3,477 | 2,831 | 2,887 | 5,053 | 5,101 |