Brampton’s Proposed 2018-2020 Budget Ready for Public Feedback

Published November 9, 2017 at 3:17 am

Brampton’s proposed budget for 2018-2020 has been released, and it focuses on a future-ready Brampton – infrastructure improvements galore – and slightly raises residential taxes.

Brampton’s proposed budget for 2018-2020 has been released, and it focuses on a future-ready Brampton – infrastructure improvements galore – and slightly raises residential taxes.

If there’s one thing that has been prominent in Brampton for the past year or so, it’s a focus on making out city “future-ready.” Basically, that means plans to improve parks and recreation, a new university, and improvements to the downtown core’s streetscape. 

A lot of plans are in place for Brampton. 

Now, the City has released the proposed budget for 2018-2020, and there are a few salient points of investment. 

Over all, the budget highlights improvements to fire and emergency services, Brampton Transit, the downtown streetscape, the university, and community centres, particularly in one of Brampton’s oldest areas, Bramalea.

Here’s a closer look at some of the interesting investments:

  • Eight new fire trucks over three years 
  • A full centralized fire campus including a fire station, a safety facility, an emergency operations centre, and a brand new headquarters
  • Thirty-one new conventional Brampton Transit buses and 34 new Zum buses over three years
  • A total of $150 million towards the Ryerson-Sheridan university that’s taking shape in Brampton, including a joint-use centre with a new library
  • Revitalizing recreational facilities in Bramalea
  • Increase STEM (engineering and robotics) recreational programming 

Don’t worry, the Riverwalk along Etobicoke Creek is also still in the works. Sanitary and watermain improvements in and around downtown Brampton as part of the streetscape project are also still happening, of course.

The budget includes tax levy increases from both the City of Brampton and the Region of Peel, which will put a slight increase on your residential taxes next year.

In total, the proposed tax levy increase for 2018 is $16.5 million. What does that mean for you?

Well, according to the budget, that’s a 2.7 per cent increase on the average residential property tax bill, based on the average residential assessment of $471,000 – so, you’ll be paying an additional $126 in property taxes per year. 

To break that down a little bit, the City of Brampton will be taking 1.7 per cent of that increase at about $80 per year and the Region of Peel will be taking 1.0 per cent of that increase at about $46 additionally per yer. 

Of course, that’s based on the average home as stated above, so if your home assessment is higher than that, you’ll be paying more. 

In the 2017 budget, taxes increased by 2.3 per cent, and you paid about $107 in property taxes for an average residential home assessed at $443,000. So, taxes are gradually increasing. 

Another salient point is the City’s proposed operating budget – which accounts for 46 per cent of your property taxes (the remainder goes to the Region of Peel at 38 per cent and the School Boards at 16 per cent). The recommended operating budget for the City for 2018 is $678 million, up from last year’s approved approximately $631 million by about $47 million. 

As for next steps, the City is asking residents to review the proposed budget and submit feedback. 

For the budget documents, click here.

Here are all of the ways you can provide feedback, according to the City:

Attend Budget Committee meetings at City Hall

  • November 27, 28, 29 (9:30 am -10 pm)
  • November 30 (3-10 pm)

Drop in at City Hall for an informal chat with City officials

  • November 27 (5:45-6:45 pm)
  • November 28 (8:15-9:15 am)

Special Council meeting for approval of budget

  • December 13 (7-10 pm) 

Online, you can submit comments here. You can also submit comments by calling 311 or through social media, namely Facebook or Twitter.

One cool way that City staff will be responding is via online video responses if they find there is a frequently asked question. Further, you can submit a delegation request to attend Budget Committee or Council meetings! 

The budget will be approved in December, so get your comments in soon!

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