2022 Draft Budget


2022 Draft Budget

Next Steps

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the 2022 Draft Budget by way of our online survey, email, Virtual Budget Town Hall and Youth Speak: Budget 2022.

Public input is included in the information package that was presented to City Council at the December 9 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Your input will help inform Council's 2022 budget discussions. Tune in to the live/archived webcasts on:

Background

The City’s third budget during the COVID-19 pandemic proposes to invest $264.7 million in operating and $97.1 million in capital improvements to deliver more than 200 services and programs that the community depends on.

The operating budget is determined based on what it will cost to continue existing City services and programs. These service levels are set by Council, which works to find the right balance between delivering the high-quality services our citizens have come to expect and maintaining taxes at an affordable level.

The capital budget includes large capital projects such as park improvements and the replacement and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure.

The draft base budget proposes a 3.25 per cent tax increase to maintain current service levels. This is within Council’s target of limiting the property tax increase to the rate of inflation plus one percentage point.

This follows an overall 2.03 per cent increase in 2021, which Council distributed to residential properties at 5.73 per cent, and to business properties at a decrease of 2.08 per cent. In 2020, there was a zero per cent increase for both residential and commercial properties due to the financial hardship the community was experiencing as a result of the pandemic.

To meet Council's target, City staff are recommending a series of cost-cutting measures to offset projected revenue loss due to the ongoing economic fallout of the pandemic. This includes delaying the posting of vacant positions, reducing travel for conferences and using the remaining federal-provincial Restart Grant to offset revenue shortfalls.

In addition for Budget 2022, Council is also considering investing in new programs and services to advance community priorities including preparing for a changing climate, supporting businesses to help grow the local economy, enhancing public safety, improving housing affordability and reducing plastic waste, among others. The addition of new services has the potential to increase property taxes.


What You Need to Know

Read the 2022 Draft Financial Plan (Budget).

For an overview, read the 2022 Draft Budget Summary or the accessible version.

Read the 2022 VicPD Provisional Budget

Watch the videos Understanding Your City Budget and A City at Work.




Your City Budget. Have Your Say

Thank you to everyone who shared their priorities for investment in the 2022 Draft Budget through our:

  • Online Survey - The community was invited to share their feedback on the 2022 Draft Budget by completing an online survey by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.

  • Email - The public had the opportunity to email engage@victoria.ca with "Draft Budget 2022 Feedback" in the subject line by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.


Virtual Budget Town Hall

Thank you to all those who participated in our Virtual Budget Town Hall on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. If you missed it, you can watch the archived webcast.

There were many convenient ways to participate online. You could:

  • Submit your priorities in our online form in advance or during the Virtual Budget Town Hall, then tune in to the live webcast.
  • Tweet your feedback with the hashtag #victownhall.

  • Call in during the Virtual Budget Town Hall and speak to Council for up to three minutes.

  • 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 Tuesday, November 16.

  • 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, November 16.

    Due to COVID Provincial health orders, in-person attendance was limited and was on a first-come, first-entry basis. Those in attendance had the opportunity to speak at the podium for up to three minutes.


Youth Speak: Budget 2022
Thank you to the youth who participated in Youth Speak: Budget 2022 on November 17.

Hosted by the City of Victoria in partnership with Volunteer Victoria, the event gave youth an opportunity to learn more about local government and share their budget priorities directly with Council during the Virtual Budget Town Hall.




2022 Draft Budget

Next Steps

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the 2022 Draft Budget by way of our online survey, email, Virtual Budget Town Hall and Youth Speak: Budget 2022.

Public input is included in the information package that was presented to City Council at the December 9 Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Your input will help inform Council's 2022 budget discussions. Tune in to the live/archived webcasts on:

Background

The City’s third budget during the COVID-19 pandemic proposes to invest $264.7 million in operating and $97.1 million in capital improvements to deliver more than 200 services and programs that the community depends on.

The operating budget is determined based on what it will cost to continue existing City services and programs. These service levels are set by Council, which works to find the right balance between delivering the high-quality services our citizens have come to expect and maintaining taxes at an affordable level.

The capital budget includes large capital projects such as park improvements and the replacement and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure.

The draft base budget proposes a 3.25 per cent tax increase to maintain current service levels. This is within Council’s target of limiting the property tax increase to the rate of inflation plus one percentage point.

This follows an overall 2.03 per cent increase in 2021, which Council distributed to residential properties at 5.73 per cent, and to business properties at a decrease of 2.08 per cent. In 2020, there was a zero per cent increase for both residential and commercial properties due to the financial hardship the community was experiencing as a result of the pandemic.

To meet Council's target, City staff are recommending a series of cost-cutting measures to offset projected revenue loss due to the ongoing economic fallout of the pandemic. This includes delaying the posting of vacant positions, reducing travel for conferences and using the remaining federal-provincial Restart Grant to offset revenue shortfalls.

In addition for Budget 2022, Council is also considering investing in new programs and services to advance community priorities including preparing for a changing climate, supporting businesses to help grow the local economy, enhancing public safety, improving housing affordability and reducing plastic waste, among others. The addition of new services has the potential to increase property taxes.


What You Need to Know

Read the 2022 Draft Financial Plan (Budget).

For an overview, read the 2022 Draft Budget Summary or the accessible version.

Read the 2022 VicPD Provisional Budget

Watch the videos Understanding Your City Budget and A City at Work.




Your City Budget. Have Your Say

Thank you to everyone who shared their priorities for investment in the 2022 Draft Budget through our:

  • Online Survey - The community was invited to share their feedback on the 2022 Draft Budget by completing an online survey by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.

  • Email - The public had the opportunity to email engage@victoria.ca with "Draft Budget 2022 Feedback" in the subject line by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23.


Virtual Budget Town Hall

Thank you to all those who participated in our Virtual Budget Town Hall on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. If you missed it, you can watch the archived webcast.

There were many convenient ways to participate online. You could:

  • Submit your priorities in our online form in advance or during the Virtual Budget Town Hall, then tune in to the live webcast.
  • Tweet your feedback with the hashtag #victownhall.

  • Call in during the Virtual Budget Town Hall and speak to Council for up to three minutes.

  • 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 Tuesday, November 16.

  • 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, November 16.

    Due to COVID Provincial health orders, in-person attendance was limited and was on a first-come, first-entry basis. Those in attendance had the opportunity to speak at the podium for up to three minutes.


Youth Speak: Budget 2022
Thank you to the youth who participated in Youth Speak: Budget 2022 on November 17.

Hosted by the City of Victoria in partnership with Volunteer Victoria, the event gave youth an opportunity to learn more about local government and share their budget priorities directly with Council during the Virtual Budget Town Hall.



Page last updated: 29 Feb 2024, 03:24 PM