Special City Council - Budget
Meeting Agenda

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Remote meeting live streamed
on guelph.ca/live

Changes to the original agenda are noted with an asterisk "*". 

To contain the spread of COVID-19, City Council meetings are being held electronically and can be live streamed at guelph.ca/live.

To listen to the meeting over the phone, call 1-416-216-5643 and enter access code 2342 389 0970

This meeting will be held by Electronic Participation in accordance with City of Guelph Procedural By-law (2021)-20590. 

  • Recommendation:

    That the following recommendations be referred to the December 2, 2021 City Council meeting:

    1. That the 2022/23 operating budget be approved at a gross expenditure budget of $481,067,796 and $500,734,742 with a 2022 property tax and payment-in-lieu of taxes levy requirement of $277,380,693 or 3.64 per cent over 2021 and a 2023 property tax and payment-in-lieu of taxes levy requirement of $293,153,601 or 4.69 per cent over 2022 inclusive of the following:
      1. 2022-23 fees, rates and charges, and inclusive of:
        1. A stormwater base charge of $7.00 per month equivalent residential unit or 9.37 per cent increase over 2021 and $7.60 per month equivalent residential unit or 8.57 per cent increase over 2022.
        2. A water and wastewater basic service charge for each of 2022 and 2023 equivalent to 2021 rates.
        3. A water volume charge of $1.87 per cubic meter, or 2.75 per cent increase over 2021 and $1.95 per cubic meter, or 4.28 per cent increase over 2022.
        4. A wastewater volume charge of $1.99 per cubic meter or 2.58 per cent increase over 2021 and $2.05 per cubic meter or 3.02 per cent increase over 2022.
      2. City service budget requirement, net of proportionate share of assessment growth, totaling an increased net levy requirement in 2022 of $5,570,312 or 2.10 per cent, and in 2023 of $7,905,919 or 2.85 per cent.
      3. Local Boards and Shared Services budget requirement, net of proportionate share of assessment growth, totaling an increased net levy requirement in 2022 of $4,066,841 or 1.53 per cent, and in 2023 of $5,093,182 or 1.84 per cent.
      4. Total transfers to/from Reserve and Reserve Funds in each of 2022 and 2023 in accordance with the reserve and reserve fund summary.
      5. No additional investment beyond base funding available for the Strategic City Building Investment Summary items.
    2. That the Guelph General Hospital levy in the amount of $750,000 be budgeted for the second of six years as approved on December 3, 2019, resulting in a net levy increase of 0.29 per cent.
    3. That the 2024–2025 operating budget forecast be received for information.
    4. That the 2022-2023 Capital Budget in the gross expenditure amount of $141,423,650 and $161,907,150 respectively and the required operating budget resulting from these projects totaling $2,099,910 and $919,340 respectively be approved, inclusive of the following:
      1. Funding transfers from capital reserve funds and other sources including partnerships and grants in each of 2022 and 2023.
      2. Available city building reserve funding will be applied to capital projects in prioritized order as listed in the Strategic City Building Investment Summary.

    5. That the 2024-2031 Capital Forecast in the gross amount of $1,736,763,840, be received for information with the following implications:
      1. Operating budget impact from this forecast totaling $8,417,210.
      2. A City Building Reserve Fund will reach a deficit position of $34.2 million by 2031.
      3. A 100RE Reserve Fund deficit position of $15.6 million by 2031.
      4. A debt forecast that leverages the City’s available capacity in the eight-year period.
    6. That the Downtown Guelph Business Association 2022 and 2023 budget with gross expenditures of $699,252 and $719,512 respectively, and a total levy of $660,000 and $679,800 respectively be approved.
    7. That the Health Care Spending (Fire) Reserve (#103), the Evergreen Donation Bequest Reserve Fund (#134) and the Community Paramedicine Reserve Fund (#348) be created, and that the name of Federal Gas Tax Reserve Fund be updated to the Canada Community-Building Reserve Fund (#343) and Appendix A of the Reserve and Reserve Fund Policy be amended accordingly.

Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer

Tara Baker, General Manager, Finance/City Treasurer

Colleen Clack-Bush, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Public Services 

Gordon Cobey, Chief of Police, Guelph Police Services

Steve Kraft, Chief Executive Officer, Guelph Public Library 

Michelle Karker, Chief Executive Officer, The Elliott Community

8.3

Council and Staff will break for 10 minutes

Trevor Lee, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services

10.

Council and Staff will break for 30 minutes

Colleen Clack-Bush, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Public Services 

Jayne Holmes, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Infrastructure Development Enterprise

Samantha Lawson, Chief Administrative Officer, Grand River Conservation Authority

12.3

Council and Staff will break for 10 minutes

Scott Stewart, Chief Administrative Officer

Trevor Lee, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services