Provide Input on the City's First Multi-Year Budget

The City of Greater Sudbury is preparing the municipal budget for City Council’s review and approval in December. Residents are asked to share their priorities on City services, programs and projects as part of the budget process. 

Earlier this year City Council provided staff with direction to guide their work on developing a proposed budget. This included instructions to prepare service plans that required no more than a 4.7 per cent change in taxation to support existing service levels, a potential levy of 1.5 per cent to accelerate road renewal efforts and a 0.5 per cent levy to manage the risk of significant price fluctuations. Based on these directions, property taxes could change by up to 6.7 per cent in 2024 and 6.2 per cent in 2025. Council also directed staff to identify options that reduced the 2024 tax levy change by 0.8 per cent. Each one per cent change in the tax levy represents approximately $3.3 million in expenditures. 

The proposed budget, along with the results of resident feedback, will be shared with the Finance and Administration Committee at its November 15, 2023, meeting, prior to budget deliberations taking place in December. 

Why Your Feedback is Important

In keeping with the priorities identified by the City’s Strategic Plan and Long-Term Financial Plan, the budget includes allocations to support each of the services residents count on – from pothole filling and clearing snow to paramedic response, collecting waste and so much more. The budget includes decisions about service levels, program delivery and special projects and how these are funded. 

Municipal budgets must be balanced. This means they cannot commit the municipality to provide more services than revenue will support. Several options exist to balance the municipal budget. Instead of changing tax levels, Council could choose to adjust service levels, change user fees or redesign how services are delivered. 

This will be the City’s first multi-year budget, providing the opportunity to better align long-term needs and goals with long-term funding plans. It will provide greater certainty to residents about the future direction of their taxes.

Significant decisions are being made about the services community members access daily. Resident feedback is an important factor for consideration as these decisions are being made.

How to Provide Your Feedback

The first round of community consultation is open until November 8, 2023. Residents may complete a survey by visiting overtoyou.greatersudbury.ca, calling 311, or visiting their nearest public library, Citizen Service Centre or the One-Stop Services at Tom Davies Square. 

Once the proposed budget is tabled in November 2023, the City will host a second round of engagement to inform the public about the proposed budget and enable two-way dialogue through a virtual Town Hall session and question and answer opportunities.

To learn more about the City’s 2024-2025 budget visit www.greatersudbury.ca/budget.

For more information on City programs and services visit greatersudbury.ca, call 311 or visit the customer service portal at 311.greatersudbury.ca.

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