Burlington 2021 budget process underway, last call for resident feedback

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Published January 6, 2021 at 3:45 pm

The City of Burlington is inviting residents to provide feedback in an online survey containing budget priorities for 2021.

Every year, the City of Burlington undergoes an annual budget process to create budgets that support city operations and deliver the programs and services required to maintain a high quality of life in the community.

Through the process, choices are made to ensure the city services provided to residents align with the priorities in Burlington’s 2018-2022 strategic work plan, From Vision to Focus.

The city is currently working to determine Burlington’s 2021 budget and is inviting residents to share their feedback from now until Jan. 8, 2021.

While the city’s 2021 budget consists of an operating budget for the delivery of services to the community, it also consists of a capital budget to invest in the construction and renewal of city assets and infrastructure.

On Dec. 10, 2020, an overview of the capital budget was presented to Burlington City Council at a Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee meeting.

The proposed 2021 capital budget revealed it was approximately $72.1 million, with a ten-year program of $786.4 million.

From the 10-year capital program, 70% will focus on infrastructure renewal projects in accordance with the city’s asset management plan, 16% is for growth projects and 14% for new or enhanced projects.

A copy of the proposed 2021 capital budget is available here.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the city’s financial position is facing pressure with a forecast of over $18 million in revenue losses by the end of 2020.

While a large portion of these losses are being mitigated with an on-going expenditure restraint program and support from senior levels of government, the city is projecting a variance at year-end of more than $2.7 million.

It is anticipated that these challenges will continue until a vaccine is developed and provincial restrictions are fully lifted.

The planned increase to the city’s dedicated infrastructure renewal levy in 2021 (1.25%) has been temporarily redirected to the operating budget for one year to partially mitigate the 2021 impact of COVID-19 on the city’s operating budget.

This will provide $2.18 million of one-time funding to offset the anticipated one-time COVID-19 impacts in 2021, reducing the amount of 2021 capital funding.

Residents will also have the opportunity to share their thoughts at a virtual budget town hall on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, which will be hosted by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.

The live event will provide residents with an opportunity to learn more and ask questions about the proposed 2021 budget.

For more information, click here.

 

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