Kevin Davis, Mayor for the City of Brantford, released a statement regarding the municipalities’ 2025 operating and capital budgets on Friday, January 3, 2025.
According to Davis’ proposed budget, which will be presented to the rest of City Council on January 14, it “maintains all current service levels, while at the same time making strategic investments in key areas to not only sustain but improve Brantford’s very high quality of life.”
In the budget , Davis is proposing a 5.74 per cent tax levy increase, after assessment growth.
“This includes a 0.25 per cent levy increase to enhance capital reserve contributions, ensuring long-term financial stability for major community projects, while at the same time making a major investment to ensure critical municipal and emergency services are expanded to meet the needs of our growing community,” said Davis, in the statement. “For the past six years, we have been able to shield the taxpayer from the full impact of external inflationary pressures. In 2022, the property tax increase of 1.98 per cent was less than the inflation rate of 4.8 per cent and, in 2023, we managed to hold the property tax increase to 2.73 per cent when the inflation rate was 6.8 per cent, one of the lowest property tax increases in the province.”
Recent independent analysis conducted by BMA Management Consulting confirms that of Ontario’s 30 largest cities, Brantford has the fourth lowest average residential taxes.
“This budget ensures the City can continue offering all the exceptional services and programs that are important to so many community members, including our world-class recreational facilities, vital infrastructure, maintenance of our roads, and so much more. Moreover, it enables us to improve the health and safety of Brantford residents by supporting an additional ambulance being added to the Brant/Brantford Paramedics fleet to improve response times for serious medical emergencies,” explained Davis. “The budget also includes a significant increase in funding for the Brantford Police Service to improve front line policing presence by allowing for the deployment of two additional police cruisers and a full-time crime prevention officer. Brantford Police will be able to provide a higher level of crime prevention services, and a more robust front-line policing presence. Without these critical investments to protect and enhance the health and safety of residents, the tax increase could have been less than 4 per cent.”
In his statement, Davis went on to provide some of the other highlights of the 2025 budgets.
“This budget will also allow the City to move forward with a number of very important capital projects to strengthen our community as we continue to grow. One of the most significant is a major expansion and improvement of the public transit system that will significantly improve the lives of residents. A modernized public transportation system that better meets the needs of residents, is an initiative that has been long-awaited in our community,” he said. “The capital budget also includes provisions for enhancing facilities, roads, transit and the necessary infrastructure to support future growth. Municipal budgets present both challenges and opportunities for cities of every shape and size across Canada. We must be prepared to meet the future head-on, with an equally strong emphasis on financial prudence.”
A Special City Council meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2025 where members of Council will have an opportunity to make additions or reductions in the Mayor’s budget. Members of the public can also delegate at this meeting to share their input.
“To improve and enhance the important input of council members I have, with the exception of the allocation of funds for the amalgamation study, pledged not to use my Strong Mayor powers to veto any budget amendments that are supported by a majority of council members at the January 14meeting, provided written notice of any proposed amendments are provided to all councillors no later than Friday, January 10, by 5:00 p.m.,” Davis said. “This budget is the result of a tremendous amount of teamwork, with staff, elected officials, residents and businesses all providing input on priorities during our pre-budget consultations. I want to thank everyone for their input and their commitment to helping make Brantford one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.”
