Budget 2021

On April 22, 2021, Council adopted Budget 2021, which invests over $260 million to deliver more than 200 core programs and services and delivers on Council’s strategic plan. In addition, the budget invests $104 million in capital improvements to city infrastructure that people depend on.

The City’s 2021 Budget is keeping taxes low while making strategic investments to maintain services, and support residents and businesses in rebuilding and recovery.

The City received more than $6.5 million from the Federal-Provincial Restart Grant, which has helped to make up some of the revenue shortfalls brought on by the pandemic. In addition, City staff are implementing a number of cost-saving measures, keeping the overall tax increase this year to 2.03 per cent – below Council’s target of inflation plus one per cent.

Budget Highlights

This year's budget is an investment in well-being and economic recovery. The City is building back from the pandemic, preparing the city for a changing climate and tackling the affordability crisis, all while keeping the tax increase low as Council recognizes the difficult economic times residents and businesses are facing right now.

Read the Budget 2021 highlights for operational and capital investment, and Council's 2021 strategic priorities.

The final 2021 Financial Plan will be available in July. Learn more.

Background

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the City's 2021 Draft Budget. Public input was presented to Council for consideration at the Special Committee of the Whole Meetings that were webcast on January 18 and January 25. A public input summary is available under Documents (see right column). The 2021 Budget was also considered at the Council meeting that follows Committee of the Whole on January 28.

Have Your Say

Over a five-week period (December 7, 2020 to January 13, 2021), the community was invited to provide feedback on the 2021 Draft Budget in the following ways:

• Virtual Budget Town Hall - Thank you for joining us. You can view the archived webcast.

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  Online Survey - Thank you to all those who participated in our online survey. The survey is now closed. Survey results will be included in the budget package to Council.

• Email - Thank you to those who emailed us their feedback by midnight on January 10. Your input will be included in the budget package to Council for consideration.

• Youth Speak: Budget 2021 - Thank you to all those who took part in Youth Speak: Budget 2021, a free virtual event on Wednesday, January 13 from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Virtual Budget Town Hall

The Virtual Budget Town Hall took place on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. to provide residents and businesses the opportunity to comment on and ask questions about the 2021 Draft Budget.

There were many ways to participate. You could:

• Submit your question or comment in our online form now or in real time during the Virtual Budget Town Hall, then tune in to the live event for the answers.
  
  
• Tweet your question with the hashtag #victownhall
  
  
• Watch the live event for an opportunity to call in and speak for up to three minutes about the 2021 Draft Budget. A phone number and access code will be provided during the Virtual Budget Town Hall.

• Submit a video up to three-minutes in length to be played during the live event. The deadline to submit your video was 2 p.m. on Monday, January 11.
  
  
• Pre-register to speak live via phone for up to three minutes during the Virtual Budget Town Hall. The deadline to pre-register was 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12.
  
  

Youth Speak: Budget 2021

Thank you to those who took part in Youth Speak: Budget 2021, a free virtual event hosted by the City of Victoria in partnership with the City of Victoria Youth Council to give Victoria youth an opportunity get involved with their local government and ask questions to Council about the City’s Draft 2021 Budget during the Virtual Budget Town Hall.