Draft 2025 Budget Review

Peterborough, ON - City Council reviewed the Draft 2025 Budget documents in a meeting on Monday, November 18 and Tuesday, November 19, 2024. Council is expected to resume its 2025 Budget deliberations at the regular Council meeting on Monday, December 9, 2024.

City Council provided direction that for its budget deliberations on December 9, 2024, City staff provide further options for reductions to City services, or additional sources of revenues, to achieve a 7% all-inclusive property tax rate, inclusive of the increases being requested by the Peterborough Police Services Board, Peterborough County-City Paramedics, and Peterborough Public Health.

During its budget deliberations November 18 to 19, Council made the following recommendations related to the draft budget:

• Adding $298,153 to the Draft 2025 Budget to restore funding to 2024 levels for community and arts groups that had been proposed for a 25% reduction in City funding in 2025;
• That the Police Services 2025 budget request be returned to the Police Services Board for consideration;
• That the Peterborough/County City Paramedics 2025 budget request be returned to Peterborough Paramedics for consideration;
• That the Peterborough Public Health 2025 budget request be returned to Peterborough Public Health for consideration;
• That the $150,000 payment be reinstated in the Downtown Business Improvement Area 2025 Budget, that the $132,000 funding for street cleaning be removed, and that the Public Works Division assume the streetscape maintenance within the DBIA;
• That funding in the amount of $235,696 be provided to restore discretionary benefits to the 2024 funding level and that the monies be added to the Net Tax Levy;
• That Trinity Community Centre overnight drop-in program be funded $264,000 to extend operations for six months next summer and be open year-round to be funded from the Social Services Reserve;
• That the Housing Stability Fund be increased by $360,000 to support prevention and diversion to be funded from the Social Services Reserve;
• That $280,000 be provided to Brock Mission for an additional worker to keep their bed capacity at 40 beds and not be reduced to 32 beds to be funded from the Social Services Reserve;
• That $240,000 be provided from the Social Services Reserve to extend the operating hours at Trinity for the day time drop in program;
• That the City shall provide a letter confirming the provision of $250,000 to be applied towards the costs of a business plan and preliminary studies, reports, and plans in support of a proposed 50 unit supportive housing project being advanced by Brock Mission and further that the said monies be derived from the Social Services Reserve;
• That the single transit ride fare be increased by 25 cents to $3.25;
• That free transit for youth and high school students be implemented by September 2025 at an estimated cost of $33,400 for September to December 2025;
• That the budget increase for sidewalk reconstruction be set at a 1.5% increase;
• That a $500,000 interest-free loan to be repaid over 10 years be provided to Showplace Performance Centre to assist with its roof replacement;
• That Council opts not to renew funding to Electric City Culture Council at this time, in anticipation of the completion of a renewed Municipal Cultural Plan, which would provide further directions for the future of a culture council, including funding of $100,000 and the funding for the following programs, Poet Laureate, Individual Artist Grants, and Artsweek;
• That $50,000 be transferred from the Water Treatment Reserve to the Zoo Mini Train Reserve, subject to year-end results;
• Adding an $89,000 project to the Capital Budget for Public Art, with $50,000 funded from the public art maintenance reserve;
• That a 2024 Tourism Strategic Plan capital budget be established through the transfer of $100,000 from the Municipal Cultural Plan capital budget, which will result in $102,800.86 remaining in the Municipal Cultural Plan capital budget;
• That the lifeguard hours at Rogers Cove be eliminated and that the funding of $40,000 be used to reduce the net tax levy requirement;
• That the canal rink not be maintained for the 2024-2025 year and that the funding of $100,000 be directed to reduce the net tax levy requirement;
• That $20,000 be allocated to the Community Rink Program and that the funding be added to the Net Tax Levy;
• That a Library staffing reorganization be implemented and that the savings of $120,000 be returned to the Net Tax Levy;
• That the OMPF Grant be amended from $300,000 to $358,800 and that the increase be used to reduce the Net Tax Levy;
• That in accordance with Recommendation 1 in the report from the Mayor's Task Force for Housing creation, a position for a Planning Project Manager be added to the Planning budget at a total cost of $170,017 including benefits and that this position be funded through the anticipated growth in applications for multi-unit developments and their associated fees;
• That advertising expenses for Strategic Communications be reduced by $15,000;
• That preventative maintenance and custodial costs for facilities be reduced by $153,000 (20%);
• That the Climate Change Coordinator full-time-equivalent position proposed in the budget be eliminated;
• That staff prepare a report on strategies on how to generate revenue and fully utilize the parking garages at Simcoe and King streets in addition to surface parking, to accommodate future growth and development and that the DBIA be consulted;
• Proposed changes to the City's parking by-law to implement parking penalty increases;
• Establishing five full-time employee positions in the Municipal Law Enforcement Services Division and creating a capital budget for patrol vehicles; and
• That staff report back by the third quarter of 2025 on a strategy to reduce rates of speed, including the feasibility of 40 kilometres per hour rate city wide.

The meetings were open to the public and were streamed online at at peterborough.ca/WatchCouncil. Minutes and videos of the meetings will be posted at peterborough.ca/agendas.

On November 4, 2024, City staff presented a Draft 2025 Budget that included a recommended all-inclusive rate increase of 7.8% to generally maintain current levels of service and fund infrastructure projects.

Following Council's budget deliberations from November 18 and 19, the Draft 2025 Budget currently reflects an all-inclusive rate of 8%, which would equal a $12.43-per-month increase for every $100,000 of property assessment, or $149.16 total change for the year.

The Mayor is expected to table the Mayor's 2025 Budget for the City of Peterborough for adoption at the Council meeting on Monday, December 9, 2024.

Draft 2025 Budget information is posted at peterborough.ca/Budget, including a new interactive tool, OpenBook, to provide new ways for residents to view City budget information through tables, charts and graphs.

The Draft 2025 Budget outlines the City's plan for investments in services and infrastructure next year.

The Draft 2025 Budget as presented on November 4, 2024 includes $411 million in operating expenses, with $185.9 million from property taxes and the remainder funded by other revenues such as grants from other governments, user fees, and service charges.

On the capital side, the Draft 2025 Budget as presented on November 4, 2024 includes $147.4 million for 174 projects such as the Transit Garage Replacement, renovations for police stations, major infrastructure work on Brealey Drive between Lansdowne and Sherbrooke streets, updating and replacing equipment at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and various road projects.

Factors affecting the Draft 2025 Budget include impacts such as staffing costs, inflationary factors, capital financing expenses, and a projected decrease in parking revenues.

The City started the 2025 Budget process in March 2024 with community consultation, including a survey and public meetings that were held through March and April. Council held General Committee meetings in June to review information and consider input from the community. Council considered detailed breakdowns of budget implications for services and capital projects before recommending guidelines for preparing the Draft 2025 Budget.

Council heard from public delegations on the Draft 2025 Budget at a meeting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

The City held informal public meetings on November 7 and November 12, 2024 to present information, respond to questions and get feedback on the Draft 2025 Budget ahead of Council's deliberations on the budget.

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