2022 and 2023 budget: Departments and programs

Capital Financing—Contaminated Sites and 100RE

This section includes debt servicing costs (principal and interest) associated with Council-approved capital projects, and the current year contributions to reserves to fund current and future capital projects. This also includes the generated carbon offset revenues and dividends from Guelph Municipal Holdings Inc. and Guelph Junction Railway.

Facilities and Energy Management

Corporate Building Maintenance

This division of the Facilities and Energy Management department is responsible for the efficient and effective management of all City-owned facilities through preventative and reactive maintenance activities.

Facility Design and Construction

This division of the Facilities and Energy Management department leads the capital project planning, design work and construction of City facilities.

Public Works

Public Works is a 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.

Corporate and Community Safety

Corporate and Community Safety is a division of the Operations department that provides services related to bylaw compliance, animal control, corporate security (personnel and infrastructure), business and lottery licensing. In addition, this division leads the coordination function of community emergency management and business continuity.

Strategic Communications and Community Engagement

The Strategic Communications and Community Engagement department provides strategic advice on, and delivers services to support internal and external communications, community engagement, public relations, crisis/issues management, media relations, marketing, customer service, graphic design, research, and business insights.

We foster a culture of collaboration, helping our organization be ‘future ready’ by making connections across different departments and in the community, bringing people together to build an inclusive, connected, prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.

We uphold our community’s values of integrity, inclusiveness and respect in delivering open, two-way, citizen-centric communications and engagement.

Information Technology

The Information Technology (IT) department prioritizes the safety and security of the City’s information from malware attacks and other cyber threats.  In addition, the IT team internally supports over 1,600 computers and tablets, 1,250 mobile devices, 200 printers, and 1,100 desktop phones. Externally, we provide service to citizens through ongoing support of our suite of business solutions and enable the public to interact with the City through convenient online services, websites, and other public-facing technologies.

The IT department actively sustains all priorities of the Strategic Plan through the implementation of new technologies, use of data to drive decision-making and leading the construction of a fibre optic network. In collaboration with all departments across the corporation, we strive to modernize our workplace and ultimately improve the lives of the residents of Guelph.

City Clerk’s Office

The City Clerk’s Office supports the delivery of responsible and responsive public service to Guelph’s growing and diverse community by ensuring an effective and trusted local government. We do so with engaged, skilled and collaborative employees that deliver legislative services, front-line customer service and programs and processes that promote accountability and transparency and supports our Strategic Plan. We are also investigating ways to grow and enhance the delivery of customer service across the organization.

Fleet Services

The Operations department is home to Fleet Services whose responsibility is to purchase, commission, maintain, repair, decommission and dispose of City vehicles (including transit vehicles)and equipment.  Fleet Services is also responsible for driver training and compliance for City staff (excluding transit operators).

General Corporate Expenses and Revenues

Corporate expenditures including, but not limited to, insurance, external audit fees, Municipal Property Assessment Corporation fees, provision for collective bargaining agreements, property tax assessment-related write-downs and corporate transfers to operating reserves are considered general expenditures. This category also includes corporate human resource budgets and IT licensing on corporate applications.

The general revenues section of the City’s operating budget relates to revenues generated outside a specific City department including property taxation revenue, supplementary tax revenue generated from new properties and additions or improvements to existing properties, payments in lieu of taxes (PILs), investment income generated from the City’s investment portfolio and penalty revenue generated from property tax arrears

Legal, Realty, and Court Services

Legal, Realty and Court Services offers strategic legal advice and guidance to City Council and City staff, ensures accountability and transparency, protects the City’s interests, manages corporate risk, and provides realty services for the corporation. This department also delivers the administrative, prosecutorial and court support functions as set out in Provincial Offences Act.