The City of Guelph has released the first four-year multi-year budget for 2024-2027. I encourage everyone to look at what the budget represents in terms of value, how it supports important City services, provides new investments, and aligns with our Council-approved Future Guelph Strategic Plan that coincides with 2024-2027.
Guelph’s budget includes three parts:
- Controllable: 4.97 per cent. City Council has direct oversight and can make decisions over this part of the budget.
- Uncontrollable: 1.98 per cent. This includes outside boards and agencies where City Council does not have direct oversight. For example, police, public health, library, long-term care, County of Wellington Social Services and more.
- Provincial Impacts: 3.37 per cent. This part is new and provides transparency about areas that have been underfunded or downloaded to municipalities, I refer to this as the Provincial Impacts Local Levy (P.I.L.L). This includes hospital expansions and renovations, addressing homelessness and changes to housing legislation.
The combined three parts equal 10.32 per cent.
City staff has done an outstanding job in arriving at the current budget under the difficult economic climate we’re in. They have worked on preparing the budget for the past six months and have had to make difficult decisions along the way. Increasing inflation, materials costs, labour and utility costs are impacting the finances of municipalities just like they’re impacting your own family or business. Cities are not immune to these same pressures. Yet, this doesn’t mean we won’t roll up our sleeves and sharpen our pencils, just like you would in your own household. We now need your help to question needs over wants, consider deferring or pausing projects, and have tough but valuable conversations before budget day on November 29 with an overall focus on affordability.
I call on all residents and businesses to engage with us in the weeks ahead. There will be town hall meetings available in each Ward before the budget is finalized on November 29. From November 3-16 you can get involved by visiting haveyoursay.guelph.ca to explore the work we do at the City and share what services and enhancements add value in your daily life. Finally, there is a dedicated delegation opportunity to address City Council on November 15. All the details are available at guelph.ca/budget.
Thank you,
Mayor Cam Guthrie