On December 15, 2021, Halton Regional Council approved the 2022 Budget and Business Plan. The 2022 Budget is an important roadmap for the year ahead – it outlines our investments in programs and services that our community relies on. As we enter the final year of our 2019–2022 Strategic Business Plan, the 2022 Budget will support our remaining objectives by funding critical enhancements to essential programs and infrastructure and our ongoing response to COVID-19.
The 2022 Budget also achieves Council’s objective of keeping the property tax increase for Regional services at or below the rate of inflation while preserving our top credit rating and the high quality of life in our community. It includes a 2.0 per cent property tax increase for Regional services and a 2.5 per cent increase for the Halton Regional Police Service. Combined, the overall Regional property tax increase is 2.2 per cent. It also includes a rate increase of 2.8 per cent for water and wastewater services.
In keeping with Halton’s fiscally responsible approach to financial planning, the 2022 Budget identifies savings and efficiencies to provide maximum value for tax and ratepayers.
Some of this year’s key investments include:
- COVID-19 Response: $13.9 million for additional costs in Public Health, Paramedic Services, Long-Term Care, Children’s Services and Housing, as well as facility and technology-related costs. The majority of this investment is funded by the Federal and Provincial Safe Restart Agreement (external link) and COVID-19 Recovery Funding for Municipalities (external link), and additional Provincial funding, resulting in a net cost to taxpayers of $711,000.
- Public Health & Long-Term Care: $2.0 million to provide needed capacity in Public Health and Long-Term Care, partially funded by anticipated provincial funding resulting in a net cost to taxpayers of $751,000.
- Halton’s Digital Strategy: $1.3 million to enhance digital services by transforming business processes and services to ensure complete, high-quality online service delivery.
- Strategic Investments: $2.7 million to maintain service levels and support the objectives, outcomes and actions identified in the Region’s 2019–2022 Strategic Business Plan.
- Housing Services: $2.1 million increased investment in the Halton Rental Assistance Program to support an increased number of rent supplement units. This investment includes one-time funding resulting in a net cost to taxpayers of $573,000 in 2022.
- Employment & Social Services: $300,000 to increase food security for Ontario Works recipients and their families.
- Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF): $250,000 to meet new and emerging community needs and to continue with recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- State-of-Good-Repair Program: $6.4 million increase in transfers to support the water and wastewater state-of-good-repair capital program.
By making strategic investments in critical services, key infrastructure and our ongoing response to COVID-19 in 2022, we will help keep Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire. To learn more, please visit the Budget and Business Plan page on halton.ca.