2016 Budget

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Consultation has concluded

The City of Oshawa's 2016 budget process is now complete!

The budget is our key planning document and provides a foundation to meet your service needs and to make decisions on City infrastructure. We're looking to balance competing priorities and challenges while providing high quality services and keeping taxes affordable.

The City budget is comprised of operating and capital budgets:

  • The operating budget covers the cost of services like snow removal, road maintenance, and fire services and provides for continued maintenance and support of existing services and infrastructure.
  • The capital budget represents investments in key strategic priorities for the City's future and covers the costs of constructing and renewing buildings, roads and parks.
Thank you for all of your feedback during the budget process. The finalized document will be available before the end of the month.

The City of Oshawa's 2016 budget process is now complete!

The budget is our key planning document and provides a foundation to meet your service needs and to make decisions on City infrastructure. We're looking to balance competing priorities and challenges while providing high quality services and keeping taxes affordable.

The City budget is comprised of operating and capital budgets:

  • The operating budget covers the cost of services like snow removal, road maintenance, and fire services and provides for continued maintenance and support of existing services and infrastructure.
  • The capital budget represents investments in key strategic priorities for the City's future and covers the costs of constructing and renewing buildings, roads and parks.
Thank you for all of your feedback during the budget process. The finalized document will be available before the end of the month.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Learn more about the budget process by reading through these commonly asked questions.

Still have a question? Submit it here for it to be reviewed and responded to within 2 business days.

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    What is a budget?

    almost 5 years ago

    A budget is an official statement about how much an organization plans to spend during a set period of time and how it will pay for expenses. Municipalities are legislated by the Municipal Act, Ontario to prepare a balanced budget; money received must equal money spent.

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    What is the difference between the operating and capital budget?

    almost 5 years ago

    The operating budget is a financing plan for the City’s day-to-day operations such as snow removal, road maintenance and fire services.

    The capital budget is a financing plan for construction of new or rehabilitation of existing assets such as buildings, roads and parks.

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    How do municipalities fund operational and capital needs?

    almost 5 years ago

    Municipal services are funded by various revenue sources including property taxes, provincial grants, fees for services (i.e. building permits, licenses) and user fees (i.e. recreation programs).

    Capital projects are funded by property taxes, reserve and reserve funds, federal and provincial grants, debt and development charges.

    Reserve and reserve funds are amounts set aside for specific purposes. Development charges are set amounts developers are required to pay and are used to fund a portion of growth-related capital costs(i.e. new subdivisions).

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    What is assessment growth?

    almost 5 years ago

    Assessment growth is produced from new homes and businesses moving into or opening in the municipality which generates new property taxation revenue. The new taxes are used to partially cover the cost of services (i.e. snow removal, garbage collection, etc.) delivered by the municipality to the new properties.

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    Why is debt used as a capital funding source?

    almost 5 years ago

    Debt is an instrument used by many businesses and governments to provide financing for various initiatives. The City uses a mix of both external and internal debt within prescribed limits. The repayment of debt is managed through the City’s annual operating budget.

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    What are some of the known factors used in preparing the operating budget?

    almost 5 years ago

    The operating budget is prepared using a base budget approach that considers cost pressures on programs and services currently being delivered. Some of the factors applied to the base budget are as follows:

    • Gapping savings – Salaries and benefits are initially budgeted at the maximum pay rate then reduced for positions that are vacant or have not reached the maximum pay rate.
    • Inflation – Annual inflationary increases applied to the operating budget range from 1.5% to 6.5% for commodities such as utilities, fuels, supplies, contracted services, maintenance used by the City.
    • External Agencies – The City contributes funding to specific agencies that provide various recreation and cultural services to its residents. These agencies are Oshawa Senior Citizens Centre, Oshawa Public Library, Parkwood Foundation, Oshawa Historical Society and the Robert McLaughlin Art Gallery.