Here's how you can have your say on the 2023 city of Ottawa budget

Ottawa residents can have their say starting this week on the 2023 city of Ottawa draft budget.
Staff tabled the $5 billion budget document last week, calling for a 2.5 per cent property tax increase this year. If approved, the 2.5 per cent tax hike will increase the average urban property tax bill by $104 in 2023, along with increasing water and sewer rates an addition 4.2 per cent.
Councillors will be hosting draft budget consultation sessions between Feb. 6 and 20, while each city committee will hear from the public before approving the budgets. Council will finalize the budget on March 1.
Here is the schedule for councillor budget consultations across the city of Ottawa.
Monday, Feb. 6 – 6:30 p.m.
Ward 21 – Rideau Jock
Goulbourn Municipal Office, 2135 Huntley Rd.
Tuesday, Feb. 7 – 6:30 p.m.
Ward 10 – Gloucester-Southgate, Ward 16 – River, Ward 17 – Capital, Ward 18 – Alta Vista
Heron Road Community Centre, 1480 Heron Rd.
Tuesday, Feb. 7 – 6:30 p.m.
Ward 3 – Barrhaven West, Ward 24 – Barrhaven East
St. Mother Teresa High School, 440 Longfields Dr.
Tuesday, Feb. 7 – 7 p.m.
Ward 5 – West Carleton – March
West Carleton Client Service Centre, 5670 Carp Rd.
Wednesday, Feb. 8 – 7 p.m.
Ward 19 – Orleans South – Navan
Virtual session – link will be posted at Engage Ottawa when available.
Thursday, Feb. 9 – 6:30 p.m.
Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. Rawson King hosts a virtual race equity budget consultation session for Ottawa's Black, Indigenous and racialized communities.
Virtual session – register at zoom.us. Once you fill out the information fields, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.
Saturday, Feb. 11 – 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Ward 1 – Orleans East-Cumberland, Ward 2 – Orleans West – Innes, Ward 11 – Beacon Hill-Cyrville, Ward 19 – Orleans South – Navan.
Place d’Orléans, 110 Place d'Orleans Drive – Drop in meeting.
Monday, Feb. 13 – 7 p.m.
Ward 6 – Stittsville
Virtual session – register at zoom.us. Once you fill out the information fields, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 – 6 to 8 p.m.
Ward 4 – Kanata North, Ward 23 – Kanata South
Kanata Recreation Centre – 100 Charlie Rogers Place.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 – 7 p.m.
Ward 14 – Somerset, Ward 15 – Kitchissipi, Ward 17 – Capital
Virtual session – link will be posted at Engage Ottawa when available
Thursday, Feb. 16 - 6:30 p.m.
Ward 13 – Rideau-Rockcliffe
Virtual session – register at zoom.us. Once you fill out the information fields, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.
Thursday, Feb. 16 – 7 p.m.
Ward 7 – Bay, Ward 8 – College, Ward 9 – Knoxdale-Merivale
Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Dr.
Tuesday, Feb. 21 – 6:30 p.m.
Ward 22 – Riverside South-Findlay Creek
Virtual session – link will be posted at Engage Ottawa when available.
Wednesday, Feb. 22 – 6:30 p.m.
Ward 3 – Barrhaven West, Ward 21 – Rideau-Jock, Ward 22 – Riverside South-Findlay Creek, Ward 24 – Barrhaven East.
Virtual session – please register at zoom.us. Once you fill out the information fields, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.
Thursday, Feb. 23 – 7 p.m.
Ward 12 – Rideau-Vanier
Virtual session at teams.microsoft.com – link to be active in advance of meeting.
Budget meeting schedule
Here is the budget meeting schedule for city of Ottawa committees to discuss the 2023 budget:
- Finance and Corporate Services Committee – Feb. 7 at 9:30 a.m.
- Transit Commission – Feb. 9 at 9:30 a.m.
- Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee – Monday, Feb. 13 at 9:30 a.m.
- Planning and Housing Committee – Feb. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
- Audit Committee – Feb. 17 at 9:30 a.m.
- Environment and Climate Change Committee – Feb. 21 at 9:30 a.m.
- Transportation Committee – Feb. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
- Ottawa Public Library Board – Feb. 23 at 5 p.m.
- Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee – Feb. 24 at 10 a.m.
- Ottawa Police Services Board – Feb. 27 at 4 p.m.
- Ottawa Board of Health – Feb. 27
- Community Services Committee – Feb. 28
Council will finalize the budget on Wednesday, March 1 at 10 a.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Officials: 2 dead, 5 missing in chocolate factory explosion
An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania on Friday killed two people and left five people missing, authorities said. One person was pulled from the rubble overnight.

Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.
Risk of a hard landing for Canadian economy is up, former Bank of Canada governor says
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says Canada’s economy is at a greater risk of a 'hard landing' — a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession.
Canadians view own country favourably but many unsure about Canada's system of government: survey
A recent study by the Angus Reid Institute found Canadians view their country more positively than Americans do, but only a slight majority of people in Canada believe their system of government is good.
Declining suicide rates in Europe may be linked to increased preventative initiatives: report
Within the last decade the total suicide rate among European nations have decreased, according to a new report that says increased suicide prevention initiatives may have helped bring down this death rate.
Russia 'largely stalled' in Bakhmut, shifting focus, U.K. says
The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.
Trump rallying supporters in Waco ahead of possible charges
Staring down a possible indictment, a defiant Donald Trump is hoping to put on a show of force Saturday at the first rally of his 2024 presidential campaign, in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement.
'Everything is interwoven': Trudeau and Biden vow continued Canada-U.S. collaboration during historic visit
U.S President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have announced updates on a number of cross-border issues, after a day of meetings on Parliament Hill.
Asylum seeker deal between U.S. and Canada won't stop drama at border, advocates say
The new asylum seeker agreement between Canada and the United States will not deter migrants from trying to cross into Canada outside official ports of entry, Quebec immigration advocacy groups say.