Corporate and Community Safety

2021 City budget
Building our Future
Operating

Operations
Corporate and Community Safety and Public Works

What we do

Public Works is the division of the Operations department that maintains and responds to issues related to the City’s roads, stormwater collection systems, traffic signals/signs, downtown public spaces and municipal parking lots, and manages the City’s winter control program.

Operations is also home to Fleet Services where we purchase, commission, maintain, repair, decommission and dispose of Guelph Transit and all other City vehicles and equipment. Fleet Services also leads the way in fleet technical specifications and standards on behalf of the City. The team within Fleet Services is also responsible for driver training development and compliance for City staff (excluding transit operators).

The newly named division Corporate and Community Safety (formerly Bylaw Compliance, Security and Licensing), continues to provide services related to bylaw compliance, animal control, corporate security (personnel and infrastructure), business and lottery licensing and annual reviews of City bylaws. In addition, this division will lead the Community Emergency Management Coordination function with a focus on community emergency management and business continuity.

Why we do it

The Operations department supports the City’s Strategic Plan priority Building our Future by helping to ensure a safe, inclusive, appealing and sustainable city. This is achieved by providing service 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the ability to respond and provide assistance during emergencies.

Through efforts to reduce and right-size the City’s vehicle fleet, along with the exploration of alternative fuel options, we also support the City’s Strategic Plan priority Sustaining our Future.

2021 to 2024+ initiatives

  • Continue to improve the City’s winter control and salt management efforts with the assistance of Source Water Protection staff. This will be completed through the use of new plow and salt spreader equipment and continuing to educate staff on salt usage.
  • Update Council on recommendations identified during the bylaw reviews on smoking (tobacco/cannabis) restrictions, alcohol consumption in public areas, short-term rental lodging, payday loan establishments and restrictions related to trailers, commence bylaw reviews on light pollution regulations and on the general regulations of the City’s Business Licensing Bylaw.
  • Implement an online process for business license applications and renewals.

Budget details

Operating budget—Revenues and expenses

2021 budget impacts

$540,250 or 3.6% net increase budget in 2021 due to:

  • $185,800 inflationary increase in compensation.
  • $378,480 increase in internal charges due to increase in program support costs for maintenance and insurance of vehicle net of $115,284 reduction in fuel chargeback.
  • $166,000 50% reduction in business license fee revenue as directed by Council offset by a $166,000 one-time operating contingency reserve transfer to fund 50% reduction of business license fee revenue.
  • $51,170 inflationary increase in materials to maintain roads and sidewalks.

2022 to 2024 budget impacts

$1,991,780 net increase budget in 2022 to 2024 due to:

  • $1,280,130 increase operating cost to maintain new and existing roads and sidewalks
  • $711,650 increase in compensation and materials related to maintaining new cycling networks and various road safety initiatives.