Collingwood, ON [20 September 2024] – It is Municipal Budget time again, and residents are invited to join the conversation! Council wants to hear from residents about what is important to them for the 2025 Municipal Budget.
The budget enables Council and staff to use our shared resources to fulfill the community’s vision by implementing strategic changes and refining Town services. Each year, municipalities are faced with the challenge of creating a balanced budget while maintaining affordable property taxes and user fees for residents, visitors, and businesses. A municipality can take on debt to pay for major capital projects, it must ensure that there is enough money to fund day-to-day operations. To balance the budget, a careful analysis must be done regarding the level of services required to meet the expectations of the community and the realistic taxation and user fee levels.
Here is the lineup of opportunities to learn more and participate:
September 21 – Join us at the Town’s Farmer’s Market Booth and let us know what you think should be Council’s top priorities for the 2025 Municipal Budget
September 23 – Acting Treasurer, Jennifer Graham will present the guidelines for the 2025 Budget process and include an environmental scan of factors that will affect the budget that are beyond the Town’s control.
October 1 and 3 – Council will have Budget Workshops to hear from staff about their Budget asks and how they help to continue to provide or enhance services and invest in Town assets.
October 10 and 21 – Council will receive the first and second drafts of the 2025 Budget during its regular meetings
October 28 – Residents are invited to attend Coffee with Council, where you can learn more about the proposed 2025 Budget requests and talk with Council and staff members in an informal format. (In-person and Virtual Options will be available)
November 14, December 2, and December 16 are the anticipated dates for Council to receive the third, fourth, and fifth drafts of the Budget (if required), with final approval tentatively on December 16th.
“Approving the annual budget is one of the most critical decisions your elected Council makes. Your feedback is so helpful to us in understanding the priorities of residents and property owners when it comes to spending your tax dollars,” says Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. “A well-crafted budget is key to running a municipality effectively. It allows our expert staff to provide recommendations and guidance to Council, setting the Town on a successful course for the future.”
The 2025 budget will be presented in a newly designed budget book that is more user-friendly and compliant with accessibility standards. The drafts will be available for viewing on the Budget project page, as the respective Council agendas are published.
Last year the Town announced that it was moving towards a service-based budget approach which shows the work that staff does and what the Town, through Council direction, is trying to carry out. There are many benefits to this approach including:
- Having a clear understanding of what the current resources (human and financial) are delivering and to what level of service;
- Setting out and defining who can make what decisions;
- Allocating the resources effectively;
- Creating a framework to enable the creation and improvement of performance measures;
- Identifying best practices and efficiencies;
- Ensuring that there is no duplication of efforts and that the efforts are being conducted by the appropriate resources; and
- Being the framework for risk management analysis.
Residents are encouraged to follow along, attend, and participate throughout the budget process. Learn more and subscribe to be notified of engagement opportunities for the Budget process at engage.collingwood.ca/2025budget.
Residents are also welcome to provide feedback in writing by emailing budget@collingwood.ca or dropping off a letter at Town Hall, 97 Hurontario Street.
