Multi-Year Budget

Mayor's Budget

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Cover page of Mayor's 2024 to 2027 Multi-Year Budget

 

 

 

 




On January 31, Mayor Josh Morgan released his 2024 to 2027 Multi-Year Budget. A new requirement under the Strong Mayor Powers and Duties as delegated by the Province of Ontario, the Mayor’s Budget must be released and made available to the public before February 1 each year. The Mayor’s Multi-Year Budget for 2024-2027 takes into consideration the Business Cases and Multi-Year Budgets released by Civic Administration on December 12, 2023.  It also takes into consideration public input and feedback collected during extensive community consultation throughout December and January.

Budget Committee meetings are scheduled to take place on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the month of February, as needed.  These meetings are an opportunity for Council members to put forward and debate amendments to the Mayor’s Budget.


Draft 2024 to 2027 Multi-Year Budgets

To provide a starting point to the Budget process, on December 12, 2023, Civic Administration released the 2024 to 2027 Draft Multi-Year Budgets at the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting.  The budget release was accompanied by a Staff Presentation.

Additionally, the Capital Budget Project Detail Records outline specifics of each City capital project in the Tax Supported, Water Rate Supported, and Wastewater Rate Supported  budgets.

 

Draft Base Budget amendments and Revised Business Cases

On January 16, 2024, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee received a Staff Report and Submissions from a number of Boards and Commissions containing amendments to the Draft Base Budget and Revised Business Cases. These amendments and Revised Business Cases were REFERRED to the Budget Committee deliberations on the 2024-2027 Multi-Year Budget.

 

Strong Mayor Powers

In June 2023, the Ontario government announced the expansion of strong mayor powers to mayors in an initial 26 municipalities, including London. Strong mayor powers came into effect in the City of London as of July 1, 2023. Under the new changes to the Municipal Act, 2001, it is the Mayor’s responsibility to prepare a budget. 

How strong mayor powers affects the budget process

The Municipal Act, 2001, is a provincial statute that regulates Strong Mayor Powers in Ontario. Under Part VI.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, the Mayor of the City of London has been given special powers and duties, including the duty to prepare a budget.

The Mayor is required by the Municipal Act, 2001 and Ontario Regulation 530/22 to prepare a budget for the municipality and provide it to each member of Council and to the Clerk on or before February 1, 2024.  

After the budget is presented, Council has 30 days to pass resolutions to amend the Mayor's Budget. If there are no amendments passed within the 30-day period, the Mayor’s Budget is adopted.

If Council passes resolutions to amend the Mayor's Budget, the Mayor can decide to veto Council’s resolutions within 10 days of the expiry of the time period for Council to pass a resolution. If the Mayor doesn’t veto any amendments within the 10-day period, the budget as amended by Council resolutions is deemed adopted.

If the Mayor vetoes Council’s resolutions to amend the Mayor's Budget, Council can vote to override the veto within 15 days of the expiry of the time period for the Mayor to veto a resolution. In the vote to override a veto, two-thirds of the members of Council must vote to override the veto or the vote will fail. If Council overrides the Mayor’s veto, the amendment passed by Council will continue to have effect. If Council does not vote to override the Mayor’s veto, then the budget is adopted by the municipality after the expiry of the time period for Council to override the Mayor’s veto.
 

2024 to 2027 Budget Process

Earlier in 2023, City Council approved the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. This plan identifies the shared vision, mission and priorities that will guide the City's next five years. 

Throughout the spring and summer of 2023, the City's Service Areas have been developing their budgets. This involves building their existing budgets outward into the 2024-2027 period (the period covered under the Multi-Year Budget) and  producing business cases that reflect proposed changes to current services to align with the priorities identified in the Strategic Plan.

The next step is for these Service Area draft budgets to be released by Civic Administration at a Budget Committee meeting later this year.  

After the budgets are released, there is time allowed for review, and then a Public Participation Meeting (PPM) is held at the Budget Committee meeting to hear delegations from the public related to the budget. During this time, residents are also able to connect with their Ward Councillors to offer feedback. The Budget Committee takes this feedback into consideration as they then begin deliberations. 

Deliberation meetings are held as needed until the Budget Committee completes its review of all items in the budgets.  When this review is complete, a second PPM is held - another opportunity for residents to provide feedback before the budgets are then brought forward to a City Council meeting, at which point they are approved and brought into effect.

Budget Timelines and Key Dates

2024 to 2027 Budget Timetable

December 12, 2023 - 4 p.m. at Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee -  Draft Budget Release by Civic Administration of the Property Tax, Water, and Wastewater & Treatment Budgets

January 29, 2024 - 4:00 p.m. at Budget Committee - Budget Public Participation Meeting #1

February 1, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. at Budget Committee - Budget Deliberations

February 2, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. at Budget Committee - Budget Deliberations

February 8, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. at Budget Committee - Budget Deliberations

February 15, 2024 - 9:30 a.m. at Budget Committee - Budget Deliberations

February 29, 2024 - 1:30 p.m. - Special Council Meeting

 

Get Involved

Budget Public Participation Meeting #2

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

You can choose to attend in-person or attend virtually via Zoom. In-person participants and audiences are welcome to attend at City Hall, 300 Dufferin Avenue, for the meeting.

Zoom participants must register in advance in order to receive the meeting link.

Feedback can also be provided by written submission and must be submitted no later than 9:00 a.m. on Monday, February 26 either delivered or mailed to the City Clerk's Office, Room 308-300 Dufferin Avenue, P.O. Box 5035, London, ON, N6A 4L9 or by email to budgetcommittee@london.ca.

Learn more about how to participate in a Public Participation Meeting (PPM).

The meeting can also be watched via livestream on our City Council YouTube channel or from the link on our Council and Committee Meetings webpage.

Contact Us

If you have comments or questions about the Multi-Year Budget process, please visit the City's Get Involved site for more information.

 

2020 to 2023 Multi-Year Budget

On March 2, 2020, London's City Council approved the 2020 to 2023 Multi-Year Budget which will result in an average annual tax increase of 3.9%, making it the second time the City has approved a four-year budget.

City Council also approved the 2020 to 2023 Water and Wastewater and Treatment budgets with an average annual increase of 2.5% for water rates and an average increase of 3.4% for wastewater and treatment rates.

You can also view the Business Cases for Additional Investments and the Business Cases for Potential Net Levy Reduction that were presented to Council.

Additionally, the Capital Budget Project Detail Records outline specifics of each City capital project in the Tax Supported, Water Rate Supported, and Wastewater Rate Supported  budgets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you understand how your municipal budget works? We have developed a list of FAQs that will help you to better understand the budget process.

What is a Multi-Year Budget?

The Municipal Act, 2001 authorizes a municipality to prepare and adopt a budget covering a period of two to five years.  The City of London has chosen to utilize a four year period. 

Rather than approving a budget annually, Council approves budgets for the next four years, subject to annual re-adoption, to establish funding in support of achieving Council’s Strategic Plan. 

The last year of the multi-year budget is subject to reconfirmation by the new term of Council, also ensuring any changes are linked to the Strategic Plan.

What are the benefits to a Multi-Year Budget?

A Multi-Year Budget allows:

  • Better accountability between funding plans and costs of services to Londoners.
  • Better aligns longer-term goals and objectives with longer-term funding plans.
  • Provides greater certainty to residents about the future direction of their taxes.
  • More efficient use of time and resources as the organization is not constantly preparing budgets.
Can changes be made after the Multi-Year Budget is approved?

Yes, an important element of the Multi-Year Budget is the Annual Budget Update process. It is required under the Municipal Act, 2001. Council must readopt the budget each year. Any changes that are required to make the budget compliant with the provisions of the Municipal Act, 2001, will be completed at this time. Annual updates will also provide Council the opportunity to adjust the budget to provide flexibility for events or circumstances that require funding and resource adjustments.

What is an operating budget?

The operating budget outlines the City's spending plan to implement Council's goals and priorities. It is based upon service area day-to-day operations of programs and services, such as the cost of water supply and wastewater collection and treatment, transit, garbage collection and disposal, recycling, parks, arenas, recreation programs, road maintenance, libraries, policing and public health services. Examples of operating expenses include, salaries and wages, insurance, supplies, fuel and utilities. Contributions to capital reserve funds and debt servicing payments are also made from the operating budget.

What are the City's operating funding sources?

The majority of the City’s operating budget is funded through property tax revenue. Other City funding sources consist of user fees, grants/subsidies, transfers from contingency reserves and other revenues such as investment income and fines/penalties. Although these other revenue streams are vital to providing services, they are very limited in nature and frequently restricted by legislative requirements and market conditions.

What is a capital budget?

The capital budget outlines the City's capital expenditure plan and related funding for assets and related programs, such as water and sewer infrastructure, roads, arenas and parks, which will provide or support services to residents over many years.  This budget pays for all new investments or rehabilitation of assets currently under the City’s control.  Examples of capital expenses include roads, bridges, parks, trails, community centres, sewers and water mains. Within the capital budget and plan, there are three classifications for capital projects: life cycle renewal, growth and service improvement.

What are the funding sources for capital projects?

Funding sources for capital projects include:

  • Capital Levy
  • Development charges
  • Other government funding
  • Reserves and reserve funds, subject to adequate balances
  • Debt financing, provided that all other funding sources are exhausted

 

 

Last modified:Monday, March 04, 2024