On November 8th 2024, the City of Ottawa released the 2024 Draft City Budget. This kicked off an annual process of debate, consultation and conversations about City priorities, needs, and pressures. On December 6th, alongside the Mayor and fellow Councillors, the 2024 Draft Budget was adopted.
The 2024 Budget builds on the priorities put forward by this term of Council, a City that; has affordable housing and is more livable for all; is more connected with reliable, safe and accessible mobility options; is green and resilient; has a diversified and prosperous economy.
Our City Budget
We all interact with City infrastructure and services on a near constant basis and the decisions made through this budget have an impact on us all. I believe what we have before us is a budget that is balanced, responsible and sets priorities that will make our City a better place to live. One that reflects the immense geographic size, diversity and talent in our amazing City.
How is the budget developed?
Every year, the City develops a budget. It’s a blueprint on how money and resources are collected, spent, and allocated. It is important to know that Ontario cities like Ottawa receive only 9 per cent of all taxes collected but are responsible for more than 50 per cent of the infrastructure and services. Under the Municipal Act, the City must produce a balanced budget, which means that all money coming in must equal the money going out. The City provides more than 100 services to our residents of Ottawa, so there are difficult decisions to ensure this balancing takes place.
Ottawa’s City Budget is actually two budgets in one: an Operating Budget and a Capital Budget.
The Operating Budget funds things like programs and services.
The Capital Budget funds big investments like buildings and roads.
How does the City pay for this?
For every dollar that comes into the City, 53 cents comes from property taxes, 18 cents from provincial grants, and 29 cents from user fees and other sources. The money collected is required for both the operating and capital budget. For some larger capital projects, monies are used from the City’s reserve funds or the City will borrow funds and incur debt.
Tax Rate Increase – 2024
Early in in the budget, process the City established a tax increase of 2.5 percent. This fixed increase was then used by senior City staff to build their department budgets. Unlike the other levels of government, municipalities set a fixed increase to property taxes and “work backwards” from there to build their budget. This is how cities can ensure that their budgets are always balanced, and they do not run a deficit – a legal requirement set by the government of Ontario!
In addition to City departments, the Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Public Health, Ottawa Public Library, and Transit Services (OC Transpo) have also developed their budgets with no more than this 2.5 percent increase.
The Budget at Work in our Community
Orléans West – Innes is a beautiful, established community, and we are blessed with numerous green and recreational spaces. With established communities, comes the need to maintain and replace aging infrastructure, and I am pleased to see that this year, our community will see many necessary and major investments.
A cornerstone for recreation in our community, Bob MacQuarrie, will benefit from a massive investment of over $3 million dollars. Inside, Bob MacQuarrie will see the replacement of diving boards, heaters, and the ammonia compressors for the pool. Outside, will see the complete resurfacing of the parking lot, and the crumbling skatepark equipment will be replaced with a brand-new district skatepark!
Looking to the future, the Budget is also funding a feasibility study for the Centre to be expanded with a new gymnasium!
Parks, Parks, Parks!
Multiple community parks and greenspaces will also see overdue upgrades to aging pathways, play structures and outdated spray posts. As these improvements continue, more accessible and improved features are being added to our parks. In addition to the ongoing work to upgrade the spray pad at Joe Jamieson Park, $400,000 will be invested to replace the spray pad at Roy Park.
Assessment work is now moving forward for staff to begin their planning work for upgrades of the boards at both Bearbrook and Barrington Rink, both of which are up for lifecycle replacement in 2025. In addition, Barrington Park will see improvements, as the Orléans Library parking lot and curbs will see an investment of $619 000 for a full refresh, benefitting both Library and Barrington Park users.
The City will also be contributing $10,000 to upgrade the clay infield at Tauvette Park. In addition to the $112,000 project baseball fencing project at Blackburn Park. Ball diamond users will benefit from improved experiences at both facilities.
Excitingly, we will also see the portable toilet pilot project return for the 2024 year.
Neighbourhood TLC
There is still so much work to be done, but these are important investments to chip away at some of the major work required in our recreational and green spaces.
Since taking office, I have been advocating for investment in improving our aging road infrastructure.
Building on the major resurfacing work that has taken place on our arterial roads in the past few years, the work will continue in 2024. $667,000 was budgeted for the Notre Dame resurfacing project. As well, the City is investing $936,000, to see Meadowglen Drive resurfaced from Orléans Boulevard to Boyer Road. The multi-year, Innes Road resurfacing project will be continuing, with next year’s budget approving sees $2.7 million to the project. We can expect to see the full resurfacing of Innes Road from Jeanne D’Arc Boulevard to Tenth Line Road.
Since I was first elected, I have been working with staff on a project that is long overdue –building an active transportation link connecting our north and south. I am very excited to share that not only was the Orléans Boulevard Cycling Project formally added to the Transportation Master Plan this year; next year, work will begin on the initial concept designs and consultations. This is a major piece of infrastructure and will eventually see a dedicated “backbone” to a cycling network running through our community.
Another project identified in the Transportation Master Plan, is the missing sidewalk connection linking Notre Dame to Jeanne d’Arc. The design work for this vital link will begin in 2024, with completion expected in 2025/26. As well, $139,000 will go toward the multi-use pathways at Willowbark Drive to Windflower Way and Anglehart Avenue to Du Grand Bois Avenue.
I am happy to also share that the final approvals are complete, and I have worked with the City to fund and implement a dedicated left-turn signal from Innes Road to Viseneau Drive, a project worth $31,000. Bearbrook Road will also be seeing a new dedicated left-turn signal installed at Westpark Drive into Louis Riel High School!
It may not be as fancy, is mostly underground, but it is some of the most important infrastructure in the community. Our storm sewer and water infrastructure will also see some major upgrades in the coming year. The culvert at the 174 over Green’s creek will be renewed for $95,000. The City will also be undertaking the design phase of the major Convent Glen Storm Sewer replacement project. The first investment of this work is $369,000, but the whole multi-year project will require tens of millions of dollars, and mark one of the greatest infrastructure investments in the community in many years. This project will not only result in upgrading and fortifying the storm sewer that extends from the river to the HWY 174; when the sewer work is complete, the pathway above in Voyageur Park will be completely rebuilt, widened and upgraded – allowing for full year-round maintenance!
A Place to Call Home
A major part of Budget 2024 is dedicated to helping tackle housing in Ottawa. The budget commits $33.5 million in municipal funds to improve access to housing and provide support to keep people housed, including $15.7 million for the Housing and Homelessness Investment Plan, and $8.8 million for housing benefits through Ontario Works. There is also $4.6 million for family and emergency shelters, $3.1 million for other homelessness programs and $1.3 million to support the social housing program.
In addition, the City will invest $5 million to advance the Integrated Transition to Housing Strategy and $30 million in affordable housing as part of the Housing Long Range Financial Plan.
Increasingly unaffordable housing is a problem plaguing more than just Ottawa or Ontario, or even Canada. All levels of government must step up to ensure that all residents have a place to call home. The City of Ottawa is stepping up, and I look forward to seeing further supports from the Governments of Ontario and Canada.
