Budget and Financial
Durham Region residents continue to be invited to share their priorities and feedback by using the Have Your Say! tool or emailing budgets@durham.ca.
Durham Regional Council approves 2024 Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budget
Durham Regional Council has approved the 2024 Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budget.
The Region is investing in critical frontline core service areas, balancing the need for taxpayer affordability and competitive property taxes, and accounting for the future growth of our community through investments our community depend on like:
- Housing and homelessness support programs to advance the goals of At Home in Durham, the Durham Housing Plan 2014-2024, to end homelessness in Durham and ensure affordable rent and greater housing choices for everyone through a total investment of $137.2 million towards:
- Increased funding for the At Home Incentive program to support the development of new affordable housing units.
- Establishing the new Regionally-led Affordable Housing Development and Renewal Office Division, to lead the work on affordable housing developments at 300 Ritson Rd. South in Oshawa and 650 Rossland Rd. East in Whitby and revitalization projects at Durham Regional Local Housing Corporation sites.
- Continued innovative approaches to new affordable housing development that responds to local needs.
- Expanded housing and homelessness support programs including community supports, outreach services, warming centres, rent supplements, supportive housing and shelters.
- Regional transit through increases in transit service levels, transitioning the DRT fleet to zero emission technologies, and investing in new transit facilities and infrastructure, innovations, and passenger amenities, including:
- 59,665 additional transit service hours.
- 34 electric buses and supporting electrification infrastructure.
- A more streamlined and efficient service delivery model.
- Strategic planning activities to support DRT’s long-term planning and continuous improvement efforts.
- The Region of Durham Paramedic Services to support the growing community and improve current paramedic response times including:
- 36 hours of additional paramedic response daily by putting two additional ambulances on the road and hiring 16 new paramedics.
- Enhancements to the Community Paramedicine Program to provide equitable access to additional services in the home.
- Advanced Care Paramedic training.
- Capital investments for the Bowmanville Paramedic Station and a new station in South Whitby.
- The Durham Regional Police Services to safeguard and protect our communities including:
- 25 additional Front Line Officers to respond to growth and an increase in frontline work.
- 29 additional officers and 22 new civilian positions supporting investigative and operational support units.
- Capital investments in facilities, fleet and equipment.
Other major priority investments include implementation of the Region’s Corporate Climate Action Plan; investing in Regional infrastructure to support projected growth and provincial housing targets; expanding available child care spaces, supporting the provincial Lakeshore East GO Extension to Bowmanville project; plus many other exciting opportunities.
The 2024 Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budget totals $2.2 billion in gross expenditures, requiring a 2024 tax levy of approximately $899.5 million. This represents a proposed net property tax increase of 7.5 per cent, which means approximately 5.7 per cent increase in the overall property tax bill. This is a monthly increase of approximately $19 for an average residential property in Durham Region.
Durham Region continues to advocate for funding from other levels of government for shortfalls in development charge funding resulting from Ontario Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Ontario Bill 134, Affordable Homes and Goods Jobs Act, 2023 and related provincial legislation as well as for the unplanned and accelerated infrastructure needs to meet provincial housing targets.
Significant financial challenges, similar to those faced by other Ontario municipalities, and an ever-evolving economic landscape reinforce the need to review the funding model between the provincial, federal and municipal governments to ensure the highest quality programs and services continue within our community.
Through the 2024 Business Plans and Budget, the Region is investing to improve the lives of people and businesses in Durham through everyday services—ensuring a healthy, safe and happy community for all.
Durham Regional Council approves 2024 water and sanitary sewer user rates
Durham Regional Council has approved the 2024 water supply and sanitary sewer user rates, with a combined increase of 4.9 per cent, plus 2.5 per cent for impacts of Ontario Bill 23, More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Ontario Bill 134, Affordable Homes and Goods Jobs Act, 2023 and related provincial legislation. The combined 7.4 per cent increase results in an estimated increase of $79.68 annually for an average residential customer.
In addition to ongoing maintenance and operation of the water supply and sanitary sewerage systems, Durham Region has several major projects planned for 2024 that support provincial housing targets, local municipal housing pledges and align with the Region’s asset management strategy.
Durham Region continues to advocate for funding from other levels of government for shortfalls in development charge funding resulting from recent legislation as well as for the unplanned and accelerated infrastructure needs to meet Provincial housing targets.
The approved user rates will take effect on January 1, 2024. Continued investment in the aging municipal water system is required to protect public health and the water environment to meet obligations under the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Ontario Water Resource Act.
The Region’s water and sanitary sewer user rates are reviewed on an annual basis, with recommendations made to Regional Council in December. Information about Durham Region’s water and sanitary sewer system is available at durham.ca/WaterandSewer.
2023 Approved Business Plans and Budget Highlights
On March 23, 2023, Durham Regional Council approved the 2023 Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budget totalling $1.9 billion in gross expenditures which represents a proposed net property tax increase of 5.2 per cent, or approximately $153 for the average residential home with an assessed value of $483,100.
This budget provides for increased investments in critical front line core service areas like housing and homelessness supports, paramedic services, transit, and police while meeting current economic challenges such as rising inflation and accounting for the future growth of our community.
Through the 2023 Business Plans and Budget, the Region is investing to improve the lives of people and businesses in Durham through everyday services—ensuring a healthy, safe and happy community for all.
For more details about the Region’s 2023 approved business plans and budgets please see the Report and Presentation in the Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budgets 2023 accordion at the bottom of this page.
Region of Durham Business Plans and Budget Process
The Region of Durham provides a wide range of programs and services to a growing and diverse community of residents and businesses. The annual Business Plans and Budget outlines the cost of delivering these essential programs and services and ensures resource allocations are aligned with Regional Council’s strategic objectives and meet service, infrastructure and legislative requirements within a framework of financial stability and transparency.
The Region’s Business Plans and Budgets are a critical component of the Region’s annual business planning cycle which also includes strategic planning, economic and financial forecasting and performance measurement.
The Region prepares two budgets. The first is for services funded by property taxes, which presents the operating and capital funding requirements for the following Regional services:
- Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS)
- Durham Region Transit (DRT)
- Regional roads and bridges
- Solid waste management
- Social services including social housing, social assistance, children’s services, family services and long-term care and services for seniors
- Public health and paramedic services
- Planning and economic development
- Emergency management
- 9-1-1 services
The second is for water and sanitary sewer services which are billed on a consumption basis to customers who are connected to the municipal systems. These services are user rate supported and are not funded from Regional property taxes.
To learn more about how the Budget is prepared watch this short video.
For more information or questions about the budget, please contact us at budgets@durham.ca or by phone at 905-668-7711 extension 2302 or 1-800-372-1102 (toll-free).
Property Tax Supported Business Plans and Budgets
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
Long-Term Service and Financing Strategies
Durham Region Transit Service and Financing Strategy |
Paramedic Services Service and Financing Strategy |
Water Supply and Sanitary Sewage Systems Business Plans and Budgets
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
Region of Durham Water Financial Plan
2024 |
2019 |
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