Council has unanimously approved a set of budget guidelines that will direct administration in preparing The City’s 2027 Budget.
The guidelines provide clear direction on financial priorities, planning considerations and process expectations, helping ensure the proposed budget reflects Council’s focus on long-term sustainability, infrastructure investment and community affordability.
The direction follows a Committee of the Whole discussion held March 4, where Council reviewed key financial pressures and provided input on priorities for the upcoming budget cycle. With Council’s direction, administration will now begin detailed work to develop a proposed budget for consideration later this year.
“Council’s approval of these guidelines gives administration clear direction to move forward with preparing the 2027 budget,” said Tricia Hercina, Executive Director, Corporate Performance and Supports. “This early guidance ensures our work is aligned with Council’s priorities and allows us to focus our efforts on building a balanced, responsible budget for the community.”
The guidelines include:
- Administration should prepare the 2027 budget with a focus on balanced tax decisions that reflect both affordability and responsible long-term financial stewardship.
- Administration should prioritize core infrastructure funding and lifecycle investment in the 2027 budget, highlighting when risk tolerances have shifted.
- Administration should avoid strategies that defer financial pressures into the future simply to minimize short-term rate increases.
- Administration should ensure reserve sustainability and compliance with minimum thresholds remain a consideration in the 2027 budget and have a plan to meet in the near future.
- Administration could present options that balance service levels, infrastructure investment, and affordability considerations.
Providing direction at this stage supports a more efficient budget development process and helps ensure Administration can deliver a comprehensive and aligned proposed budget for Council’s review and debate in the fall.