Ottawa city council approves 2022 budget directions
Ottawa city council has approved directions for next year’s budget, including a recommended three per cent increase to property taxes in 2022.
By a vote of 16 to 8, councillors agreed to the approach and timetable for consultation and consideration of the 2022 budget, which also calls for a 2.6 per cent increase to the city-wide levy, a three per cent increase to the Ottawa police services levy and a 4.5 per cent increase to the transit levy.
The police levy was a significant point of contention, with residents calling on the Ottawa police services board and the finance and economic development committee (FEDCo) to vote down the funding increase.
Councillors Shawn Menard and Catherine McKenney tried to introduce a motion to freeze the police budget to a zero per cent tax increase, which police services board chair Diane Deans said would result in layoffs.
“We’ve been told that a zero per cent increase, because 81 per cent of our budget is staffing costs, would result in layoffs of about 100 police service members,” she told council. “Of course, the last people that we’ve hired are the most diverse group we’ve ever hired, so they’re the racialized minorities, they’re the women—they’re the ones that would be leaving.”
The police services board had committed to freezing its 2022 budget at 2020 levels, and Deans said they are still committed to trying.
The motion was referred to budget consultation time later this year.
Sixteen councillors and the mayor voted in favour of the overall budget directions, though councillors Matt Luloff, Riley Brockington and Keith Egli chose to dissent to the increase to the police levy. Brockington also dissented to the increase to the transit levy.
The councillors who voted in favour are: Tierney, El-Chantiry, Luloff (with dissent), Gower, Dudas, Cloutier, Darouze, Sudds, Moffatt, Chiarelli, Brockington (with dissent), Egli (with dissent), Kitts, Hubley, Harder, and Watson.
The councillors who voted against are: Menard, King, McKenney, Deans, Leiper, Meehan, Fleury, and Kavanagh.
City staff say the 2022 budget will outline estimated post COVID-19 financial pressures, and include mitigation measures to cover possible funding and revenue shortfalls, including the use of city reserves, possible reductions in service levels and various additional mitigation measures.
If approved, a three per cent increase in property taxes would cost the average urban homeowner an estimated $119 more in 2022. Rural homeowners would see their tax bill go up by $91.
The 2022 draft budget will be tabled on Nov. 3.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.