Tax hike of 5.25% proposed in preliminary Burlington budget

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has submitted a preliminary budget for 2025 that amounts to an overall tax increase of 5.25 per cent next year.

According to information supplied by the mayor in her budget report, the figures represent a $48.18 increase in payable taxes in 2025 for every $100,000 of urban residential assessment.

The numbers are based on the combined budget estimates of the City of Burlington, Halton Region and Halton’s two school boards.

Broken down, the proposed Burlington portion of your tax bill sits at a 4.07 per cent increase while Halton’s is estimated for a 1.18 per cent increase. The education portion of the taxes is not expected to increase.

Further, the proposed Burlington budget shows an increase in spending of 8.04 per cent.

A summary of the proposed budget can be found here.

Budget discussions will now take place for the next two months on both the political and public levels where priorities and figures can be adjusted. The process is expected to be completed by Nov. 25 when the budget and the tax rate are finalized.

This year’s budget is the second submitted by Meed Ward using her strong mayor powers granted by the Province of Ontario. One aspect of the powers requires mayors to present a budget to council for consideration.

In her opening comments in the budget summary, the mayor says the budget is compiled using four principles that help balance today’s needs while investing in the future. The principles are affordability, sustainability, livability and transparency.

“We have heard your requests for clear, understandable and transparent budget information, earlier in the process,” Meed Ward said about how the budget is presented. “The numbers we are sharing are projected and not finalized –this gives you an opportunity to shape the budget before it is formally presented to the community and council for deliberation. We hope this preliminary look helps residents understand the priorities and pressures we are facing in the 2025 budget. Burlington city council and city staff invite public input as we strive to balance immediate needs with long-term investments in Burlington’s future.”

Like most municipal budgets, the biggest expenditure in the budget is for salaries, wages and benefits.

New capital projects proposed are $12.3 million for upgrades to parks, $10 million for repairs and maintenance of city-owned facilities, $7.8 million for expansion of transit operations facility expansion, $6.3 million for Plains Road renewal, and $5.2 million for stormwater management.