The Finance and Corporate Services Committee approved the City’s proposed 2025 budget directions, timeline, and consultation process.
The budget directions report proposes that the municipal tax increase of no more than 2.9 per cent, made up of various levies for the City, Ottawa Public Library, Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa Police Service. The Transit Services budget will be developed with consideration of funding between $0 and $120 million from the federal and provincial governments and will consider an increase to the transit levy of between 2.9 and 37 per cent, a transit-fare increase of between 2.5 and 75 per cent in 2025, fare discount adjustments, operating efficiencies and/or service reductions, and capital deferrals. A working group focused on the transit long range financial plan will provide analyses and recommendations for these items for the 2025 budget deliberation process.
The draft operating and capital budget will be tabled at City Council on Wednesday, November 13. Each Standing Committee of Council will meet between mid-November and early December to consider their portions of Draft Budget 2025. Residents, businesses, and community groups will be able to take part as public delegations and participate in Councillor-led public consultations. Council will consider and adopt the final budget on Wednesday, December 11.
The Committee also received an update on the City’s budget status and a presentation Information Technology Services on its work in the first half of the year.
The budget directions report and the Baseline transit report will rise to Council on Wednesday, September 18. Other items rising to Council from today’s meeting will be tabled on Wednesday, October 2.
