City council unanimously approves Brampton’s 2020 Budget

The City of Brampton recently released its Proposed 2020 Budget, which outlined the city’s priorities for the upcoming year.

The City of Brampton recently released its Proposed 2020 Budget, which outlined the city’s priorities for the upcoming year.

The budget, which supports Term of Council priorities, advancing Brampton as a well-run city, a green city, a healthy and safe city, a city of opportunity and a diverse Mosaic was available for viewing online so that residents could take a closer look and provide feedback on the proposal.

Budget deliberations took place from February 18 until February 26, 2020, where the city provided a series of opportunities for the public to provide their input.

Feedback on the 2020 Budget could be sumitted by email or phone and at a telephone town hall that had close to 7,500 participants.

At a Special Council Meeting on February 26, 2020, council unanimously approved Brampton’s 2020 Budget.

This is the second consecutive year for this Term of Council to deliver a 0% property tax increase in order to fund the Brampton’s Budget.

Brampton’s 2020 Budget will ensure that the city’s programs and service levels are maintained or increased as well as levies are continued in order to keep the infrastructure in the city at sustainable levels. 

It will also ensure that the investments continue to build opportunities for economic growth and job creation. 

The approved 2020 Budget will result in a 0% property tax freeze on the City’s portion of the tax bill.  

This will mean that on the 2020 tax bill, residents will see City’s 0.0 per cent + Region’s 1.3 per cent + School boards 0 per cent = 1.3 per cent, equivalent to an average of $64 per household.

The budget will also result in Brampton’s net operating expenditures increasing by $47 million, which will be funded through assessment growth, revenue growth and the stormwater charge.

The 2020 Budget is a $977M budget which consists of a $755M Operating budget for staff salaries, maintenance, utilities and reserves as well as a $222M Capital budget for purchase and major repair and replacement of assets such as roads and buildings.

Brampton’s Budget includes the largest-ever annual contribution of $110M to the city reserves, strengthening the city’s financial position as well as including a 1 per cent levy for Transit and 2 per cent levy for Infrastructure to keep assets such as buses, roads and facilities in good working condition and to ensure the continuation of city-building.

Mayor Patrick Brown said, “Council has approved a 2020 Budget that results in Brampton being Canada’s only big city to deliver a tax freeze two years in a row. The budget includes key investments through levies in Infrastructure and Transit to continue meeting the needs of a growing city. The approved budget includes the largest-ever contribution to reserves in the City’s history.”

Photo courtesy of the City of Brampton