2025 Municipal Budget
We want to hear from you! Tell us what your thoughts are on what the Town should focus on in 2025.
Coffee With Council is an opportunity to meet with members of Council and senior Town Staff to discuss plans for the 2025 Municipal Budget. Have your say and share your ideas - members of Council and Staff want to hear from you!
Date and Time to be confirmed.
Virtual Session: Details to be confirmed.
In-person session will be at the Collingwood Public Library (55 Ste Marie St.), 3rd Floor, Community Rooms B & C. Date and time to beContinue reading
We want to hear from you! Tell us what your thoughts are on what the Town should focus on in 2025.
Coffee With Council is an opportunity to meet with members of Council and senior Town Staff to discuss plans for the 2025 Municipal Budget. Have your say and share your ideas - members of Council and Staff want to hear from you!
Date and Time to be confirmed.
Virtual Session: Details to be confirmed.
In-person session will be at the Collingwood Public Library (55 Ste Marie St.), 3rd Floor, Community Rooms B & C. Date and time to be confirmed.
The Budget is one of the most important matters your elected Council will decide, and your input will help Council identify key investments and priorities and balance them with tax and fee changes. Please consider getting involved by attending any of the meetings in the Budget Timeline or dropping us an email at budget@collingwood.ca.
What is a budget?
It is the most important document that any government adopts. It is a plan that sets out anticipated spending for the year and where the money will come from. It determines the services the municipality will provide and defines any improvements or expenses related to buildings or resources that will be made that year. A budget is the blueprint that outlines how municipal funds are collected and allocated. The overall budget can be separated into two main components – the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget. All the municipality’s income is invested in programs and services that make Collingwood a very desirable place to live, work and play!
What is an Operating Budget?
The operating budget is the plan for the day-to-day operations of the Town including salaries, legal and insurance costs, and winter control. These expenses are required annually to run the municipality. Every Town program and service is funded through the operating budget, which is designed to ensure dependable delivery of a broad array of programs and services that residents rely on every day. Your municipal government is responsible for providing fire and police services, roads, clean water, parks, arenas, library services, and much more. Many of these services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These services and programs are largely funded by tax dollars and user fees which include charges for recreation programs, water, and wastewater services.
What is a Capital Budget?
The capital budget is the annual plan for the purchase and financing of the Town’s capital assets. Capital assets are projects and expenses where the benefits can be seen over the course of many years, such as roads, bridges, land, buildings, machinery, and equipment. The bulk of the capital spending goes to maintaining and fixing existing infrastructure, and is funded through dedicated accounts (similar to savings accounts) that have been built up through taxation and grants.
Building new infrastructure that is needed for keeping up with the growth of the community is funded through charges on the new developments being built.
Balancing the Budget
Each year municipalities are faced with the challenge of balancing the budget, as required by provincial legislation. A municipality can take on debt to pay for large capital acquisitions, however it must ensure that there is enough money to fund day-to-day operations. In order to balance the budget, a careful analysis must be done regarding the level of services required to meet the expectations of the community and the realistic taxation and user fee levels.
Have a question about the Budget process? Please ask us here.
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Contact Us
For more information, contact the Finance Department:
Jennifer Graham, Acting Treasurer
Phone: 705-445-1030
Email: budget@collingwood.ca
2025 Budget Timeline
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June - September, 2024
2025 Municipal Budget has finished this stageTown Staff were busy preparing for the first draft. This includes discussions about the Town's base services and the major projects that will be completed in 2025.
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September 21, 2024
2025 Municipal Budget is currently at this stagePublic engagement opportunity at the Farmers’ Market. Tell us how you would like to be involved in the 2025 Budget process and what you think is important for the Town to focus on!
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September 23, 2024 Presentation to Council: Guidelines and environmental scan
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal Budget -
October Budget Workshop with Council: Date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal Budget -
October Budget Workshop with Council #2: Date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal Budget -
First Draft of the 2025 Budget - Presentation to Council: date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetTown staff will present the 1st draft of the 2025 Municipal Operating & Capital Budgets.
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Second Draft of the 2025 Budget - Presentation to Council: Date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetTown staff will present the 2nd draft of the budget.
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Coffee with Council - Virtual & In-Person Sessions
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetAn opportunity for the public to speak and share ideas about the 2025 Municipal Budget with members of Council and Staff.
Have your say and share your ideas - members of Council and Staff want to hear from you!
Date and time to be confirmed shortly!
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3rd Draft of the 2025 Budget - Presentation to Council: date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetThe Acting Treasurer will present the 3rd Draft of the Budget.
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4th Draft of the 2025 Budget - Presentation to Council: Date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetThe Treasurer will present the 4th Draft of the Budget (if required).
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Approval and final passing of the Budget: Date TBC
this is an upcoming stage for 2025 Municipal BudgetThe Acting Treasurer will present the 5th draft of the budget to members of Council and anticipate passing of the Budget at this time.