2022 and 2023 City budget: Working together for our future

Working together for our Future

Learn more about Working together for our future in the City’s Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan priorities, performance indicators and initiatives

  • Attract and develop accountable employees who work collaboratively and creatively to deliver services
  • Improve how the City communicates with residents and delivers services
  • Develop a long-term financial and resource strategy that is achievable and affordable

View performance indicators and initiatives in the Guelph Future Ready Progress Report

Departments and programs

2022 and 2023 approved budget highlights

  • Maintaining our service delivery to a growing City, including the Capital Program Resourcing Strategy, with front-line staffing in Information Technology, Human Resources, Corporate Communications, and Finance with utilization of reserves to phase-in impacts; in total six permanent and one temporary position in 2022, two permanent and one temporary positions in 2023.
  • Continued phase-in of operating impacts for Baker District and South End Community Centre; one-time funding through 2022-2025 totaling $7.5 million to be transferred to the City Building Reserve Fund.
  • Investment in enhancing digital and customer service through both capital, new licensing fees and staffing resources; in total two permanent and one temporary position in 2022, and three permanent positions in 2023. Council reduced the funding to capital by $109,000 resulting in the annual base funding being $541,000 as updated on the Strategic Investment Priority Summary.
  • Investment in Court Services as a result of Bill 177 legislation (transfer of certain part III Provincial Offences Act prosecutions to municipalities), and Council’s decision to implement red-light cameras and automated speed enforcement; in total 1.5 permanent positions in 2022, and 2.2 permanent positions in 2023.
  • The implementation of a Council-approved market-adjusted compensation structure for the non-union management employee group; use of reserves to phase-in budget impact over two years.
  • Bolstering repairs and maintenance budgets for corporate fleet services as a result of aging fleet assets and above average inflationary pressures; use of reserves to phase-in impact.
  • Above-inflationary escalating corporate insurance, and long-term disability insurance costs; use of reserves to phase-in impacts.
  • The potential half of a position to support the Property-assessed Clean Energy program in connection with Our Energy Guelph, pending further preliminary planning work.
  • One-time reserve funding to support the holistic review of the City’s boards and committees to identify efficiencies and enhance service delivery as identified in the Service Rationalization Review.
  • One-time reserve funding to support the people and service costs of running the 2022 Municipal Election.
  • An option to consider a Council administration coordinator as included on the Strategic Investment Priority Summary.

2024 to 2031 budget forecast highlights

  • Continued investment on maintaining front-line service delivery support to a growing City and new investment in enhancing digital and customer service; capital and operating impacts; in total seven positions proposed to be added in 2024 and six positions in 2025.
  • Continued resourcing required for the automated speed enforcement program with the addition of 2.3 positions in Court services.
  • Expansion of the Continuous Improvement Office project delivery capacity with addition of a certified Black Belt position in 2025.
  • Finishing the operating impact phase in and transferring these funds to the appropriate service area at the time of the opening of both the South End Community Centre and the Baker District projected for 2025.