Highlights of proposed 2023 budget presented to Aurora council at Dec. 13 meeting

Tentative spending plan includes tax increase of 3.5% for coming year

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 21, 2022
Melissa Wallace

The last council meeting for 2022 wrapped up on Dec. 13, with much of the time delving into the proposed budget for the new year. Rachel Wainwright-van Kessel, director of finance, shared an overview of the proposed 2023 budget and 10-year capital plan.

Highlights include:

• A proposed tax increase of 3.5 per cent, compared with 2.9 per cent in 2022. Inflationary pressure was a main driver for the tax increase, with overall inflation for goods and services in Canada year-over-year continuing to average between six to seven per cent. The town’s growing rehabilitation and replacement costs for its aging infrastructure were also a key contributor to this tax pressure.

• Capital budget spending of $73.9 million in 2023, $29.9 million in new capital budget authority, and $347.1 million over the 10-year capital plan.

• The focus in 2023 will be on investments in asset management, including maintenance of facilities, fleet, roads, storm sewers, and a newly proposed program for the information technology division.

• The capital budget authority includes all active project budgets, adjustments to project budgets, and new budget commitments. Larger projects with capital budget authority include $51.9 million for Aurora Town Square, $11.1 million for the SARC Gym, $1.5 million for an artificial turf field at Dr. G.W. Williams High School, and $18.9 million for the roads program.

• The average house in Aurora, assessed at $800,000, will have an annual 3.5 per cent tax increase, totalling $81.51.

• The average, quarterly residential water bill, which includes water, wastewater, and stormwater charges will go up by 4.4 per cent to $326.43, compared with $312.63 in 2022.

• Wainwright-van Kessel mentioned Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster Act wasn't assumed in the capital plan. The current bylaw expires March 2024 and will be subject to the new bill. Impacts this may have on development charges and cash-in-lieu parkland: exemptions for the creation of affordable homes, reduced revenue from rental housing, and an estimated one-time tax levy impact to replace revenues, minimum three per cent.

 

Budget deliberations will begin in the new year, with council expected to pass the budget in February. To read the proposed budget, visit www.aurora.ca/en/your-government/budget-2023.aspx.