Share Kitchener’s finalized 2024 budget includes key investments to advance community priorities on Facebook
Share Kitchener’s finalized 2024 budget includes key investments to advance community priorities on Linkedin
Email Kitchener’s finalized 2024 budget includes key investments to advance community priorities link
Kitchener’s 2024 budget has been adopted after receiving no amendments from City council. The adopted budget includes the key priority areas of supporting city services, focusing on infrastructure, and advancing strategic priorities.
“From the beginning of the budget process, Council, staff and our community worked collaboratively to develop a budget which allowed Council to deliver a tax rate increase of 3.9 per cent, below the rate of inflation, while also advancing the strategic vision priorities outlined in our 2023-2026 strategic plan,” said Kitchener Mayor, Berry Vrbanovic. “Kitchener is a vibrant and innovative community where people from across Canada and the world come to put down roots. This budget achieves the goal of building a vibrant community, while recognizing the current economic climate and a variety of domestic and international economic challenges.”
For the average home in Kitchener, the proposed rate increases for 2024 are:
: 3.9 per cent, or $47 annually
Water utility: 4.9 per cent, or $21 annually
Sanitary sewer utility: 7.1 per cent, or $39 annually
Stormwater utility: 7.4 per cent, or $17 annually
This represents a combined annual increase of $124 for the average household. In addition to the initially proposed $5.5 million in strategic investments, staff have worked with council throughout the budget process to identify additional projects that can be supported. As a result, an additional $1.6 million has been allocated to fund strategic priorities. This funding will support:
$400k for additional traffic calming and trail connections in neighbourhoods
$200k to develop an arena energy strategy as part of the city’s Corporate Climate Action Plan 2.0
$300k to move forward with two additional playgrounds replacements
$200k to develop a Municipal Newcomers Strategy, including community engagement
$300k to improve access and increase usage at Cameron Heights Pool
$200k for the implementation of a city-wide data strategy to build organization-wide data practices to deliver better services for residents
“These additional strategic investments demonstrate our commitment to advance the priorities that matter to our residents,” said Ward 1 Councillor and Chair of the Finance & Corporate Services Committee Scott Davey. “During recent terms of council, we’ve made responsible long-term financial planning a top priority. This has allowed us to consistently deliver tax rate increases below the rate of inflation without sacrificing city services or our strategic investments. The 2024 budget is another example of this, and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to deliver for our community.”
Share Draft 2024 budget continues trend of delivering value for Kitchener residents on Facebook
Share Draft 2024 budget continues trend of delivering value for Kitchener residents on Linkedin
Email Draft 2024 budget continues trend of delivering value for Kitchener residents link
The City of Kitchener has released its draft 2024 budget, outlining a plan that includes three key priority areas: supporting city services, focusing on infrastructure, and advancing strategic priorities. In developing the proposed 2024 budget, staff strongly considered affordability impacts on Kitchener residents by continuing the trend of delivering value for Kitchener residents, proposing a property tax rate increase of 3.9 per cent, well below the two-year average rate of inflation of 5.3 per cent.
The draft budget maintains existing services that residents rely on every day, includes key investments for maintaining the city’s infrastructure, and advances priorities included in the City’s recently launched 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.
The 2023-2026 Strategic Plan was developed after extensive consultation with the community and includes a new 20-year vision for Kitchener. The plan has five goal areas to focus on over the next few years:
- Building a Connected City Together
- Cultivating a Green City Together
- Creating an Economically-Thriving City Together
- Fostering a Caring City Together
- Stewarding a Better City Together
The draft 2024 budget puts the strategic plan into action and includes $5.5M in investments under these specific goal areas.
In addition to strategic investments built into the draft budget, $1 million in one-time funding is still available to allocate towards additional strategic priorities. The public can provide feedback on Engage Kitchener regarding which investment they think Kitchener should move forward within 2024. This feedback will help inform the final budget that will be proposed by the mayor on Monday, Dec. 4, after considering council and the public’s feedback.
For the average home in Kitchener, the proposed rate increases for the 2024 budget are:
- Property taxes - 3.9 per cent, or $47 annually
- Water utility - 4.9 per cent, or $21 annually
- Sanitary sewer utility - 7.1 per cent, or $39 annually
- Stormwater utility - 7.4 per cent, or $17 annually
As the result of new provincial legislation related to municipal budgets, the 2024 budget process has been adjusted from previous years. This year’s budget process involves:
- Operating budget day: Monday, Nov. 20, 2023
- Capital budget and public input night: Monday, Nov. 27, 2023
- Mayor’s budget proposal: Monday, Dec. 4, 2023
- Council votes on amendments: Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023
- Budget adopted: Friday, Dec. 29, 2023
Visit the City of Kitchener’s council and committee calendar to find the agendas when they’re available. People interested in watching the budget meetings can do so live or on-demand.
To read the full proposed 2024 budget and take the survey, visit kitchener.ca/budget.
Share Get involved in the 2024 budget process on Facebook
Share Get involved in the 2024 budget process on Linkedin
Email Get involved in the 2024 budget process link
We want to know what is important to you. In addition to items that have been built into the City's draft budget, $1M in one-time capital funding is available and unallocated. Read about the investment options we’re considering and let us know which ones we should focus on. Your responses will inform city council’s decisions about the budget.
Take survey
You can also share your thoughts by delegating at our public input night on Nov. 27, 2023. During this meeting, Council will hear from resident delegations. If you want to appear as a delegation, please register before 12 noon on Nov. 16, 2023.
The City of Kitchener uses its strategic plan and , long-term financial plan and various master plans to guide the priorities of our budget process.
The City of Kitchener has two main ways of funding things – property taxes and services that you pay for as you use them.
The City of Kitchener collects property taxes from property owners across the city. The property taxes we collect fund the Region of Waterloo, City of Kitchener and school boards. The changes you see in your tax bill are a combination of these three budgets.
The City of Kitchener uses a variety of tools to manage its finances. Two of those tools are reserve funds and debt.
Find out how the City of Kitchener builds its annual budget.
