On January 25, Halton Regional Council approved the 2023 Budget and Business Plan. The 2023 Budget is the Region’s roadmap for strategic investments for the year ahead and identifies areas of investment to support critical services and infrastructure in Halton. The 2023 Budget is based on prudent and forward-looking financial planning principles, ensuring value for tax and rate payers despite increasing economic pressures.
The 2023 Budget also achieves Council’s objective of keeping the property tax increase for Regional services at or below the rate of inflation – something we have achieved for more than 20 years. This approach has earned Halton a AAA/Aaa credit rating for more than 30 years while supporting the high quality of life in our community. The Budget includes a 3.0 per cent property tax increase for Regional services and a 4.0 per cent increase for the Halton Regional Police Service. Combined, the overall Regional property tax increase is 3.4 per cent after assessment growth. It also includes a rate increase of 4.1 per cent for water and wastewater services.
In keeping with Halton’s fiscally responsible approach to financial planning, the 2023 Budget includes the following key investments:
- Public Health: $344,000 investment to support emerging needs in the community post-pandemic.
- Paramedic Services: $1.3 million investment including additional full-time paramedics to address pressures related to increased call volumes.
- Services for Seniors: $1.6 million investment for additional personal support workers to provide increased direct care hours to residents in the Region’s three Long-Term Care homes.
- Housing Services: $2.4 million increased investment to support assisted housing, rent supplement, and homelessness prevention programs.
- Children’s Services: continued implementation of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Childcare Plan – known as $10/day childcare.
- Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF): $250,000 increased investment to meet new and emerging community needs with services provided by non-profit organizations in Halton. The HRCIF now totals $4.0 million.
- State-of-Good-Repair Program: $7.9 million increased investment to support the water and wastewater state-of-good-repair capital program, and $1.0 million increased investment to support the transportation capital program.
By making strategic investments in critical services and key infrastructure, we 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.