Building Whitby's 2023 Budget
On Thursday, February 16, Whitby Town Council approved the Town’s proposed 2023 Budget. The approved budget will result in a 5.8 per cent Town increase or an estimated 2 per cent increase on the overall residential bill for Town services. This represents an increase of just over 31** cents per day, per household for the delivery of important services residents rely on every day, like waste collection, snow clearing and parks maintenance. This budget focuses on maintaining the Town’s essential service delivery and existing infrastructure, while planning for growth. Learn more about the 2023 .
The approved budget also takes into consideration feedback collected through the Town’s Citizen Budget Tool. View the highlights of what residents shared with us.
** Approximately 31 cents per day (or $115 per year) is based on the 2022 average residential assessment value of $503,000 for Whitby as determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.
More Information on the 2023 Budget:
At the February 16th meeting, Whitby Town Council considered the proposed 2023 budget and made budget amendments before unanimously approving the Town’s budget. The proposed budget of 6 per cent was amended and approved at 5.8 per cent. Minutes of the February 16, 2023 Special Council Meeting are available online.
More information on the Town’s 2023 budget is available in the Town’s 2023 Budget Book. When reviewing the budget book, please note that it currently still contains details of the proposed (6 per cent) budget and will be updated for the following budget amendments approved by Council on February 16th:
Capital Projects added to the 2023 Budget*:
- Traffic Calming Action Plan (Decision Item #47)
- Pedestrian crossover at the intersection of Dryden Boulevard and Steele Valley Court/Bakerville Street
- Cullen Central Park Pickleball Acrylic Floor Surfacing and Windscreens (funded from reserve)
- Expansion of the new Town service of Free Menstrual Products to the Civic Recreation Complex and Iroquois Park Sports Complex (Decision Item #39). With this approval, free menstrual products will be available at the above locations in addition to the Central Public Library, Brooklin Community Centre and Library, and McKinney Centre
- Additional funding for Zero Carbon Whitby Initiatives (Decision Item #49) – funded from the Zero Carbon Revolving Fund reserve
Staffing resources removed from the Proposed 2023 Budget*:
- Community Engagement Specialist (Decision Item #4)
- Economic Development Officer (Decision Item #7) - position remains as contract in 2023
- Community Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism (IDEA) Specialist (Decision Item #25)
Other approved adjustments to the Proposed 2023 Budget*:
- Service level adjustments for the 55+ Centre, Youth Services, and CRC Health Club (Decision Item #38)
- An increase to the business expense budget for Members of Council
- Further budget savings above the $2 million in budget reductions identified by staff previously
Revisions to the Operating and Capital Budgets, based on the February 16 budget amendments approved by Council, are summarized as follows:
Tax Levy Increase*:
$6,688,604 Per Budget Book/Budget Report (6%)
-$193,086 Council Budget Amendments (net)
$6,495,518 Approved 2023 Operating Budget (5.8%)
Approved 2023 Operating Budget*:
$165,166,559 Per Budget Book/Budget Report
-$61,555 Council Budget Amendments (net)
$165,105,004 Approved 2023 Operating Budget
Approved 2023 Capital Budget*:
$184,319,715 Per Budget Book/Budget Report
$1,022,568 Council Budget Amendments
$185,342,283 Approved 2023 Capital Budget
*updates to Budget Book pending
How the Budget Process Works
Each year, the Town undergoes a robust process to create an annual budget that delivers the services and programs residents and businesses rely on each day.
Check out the below videos to learn more about how your tax dollars are spent and how municipal budget decisions are made:
- How Whitby's Municipal Budget Works - learn more about how a municipal budget is put together, including the Town's operating and capital budgets
- Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 101 - learn more about how your property tax is calculated
For more information on how Whitby uses Development Charges (DCs) to help manage the cost of growth, visit the Development Charge Background Study page on Connect Whitby.
Out of all the taxes you pay the government in a year, municipal taxes make up only 9% of the total amount. Of that 9%, the Town receives 3% from overall taxes to operate and plan for services and infrastructure that you use every day.
To help manage these year-over-year costs, expenses in the municipal budget are broken down into two categories: operating and capital budget.
Operating Budget:
This accounts for the cost of operating day-to-day services in the Town including:
- Fire and Emergency services
- Town Facilities (e.g. Iroquois Park Sports Centre, Whitby Public Library, Port Whitby Marina, Brooklin Community Centre and Library and Town Hall).
- Recreation programs
- Road maintenance
- Waste Collection
- Debt payments and transfers to reserves
Capital Budget:
The capital budget consists of larger investments that help us prepare for our community’s future growth. Examples of capital expenses may include:
- Infrastructure development, building and construction projects (e.g. building new roads, sidewalks multi-use paths, bike lanes and bridges)
- Park and greenspace improvements
- Fleet expansion and maintenance (e.g. purchasing new fire trucks and snow plows)
Have a question about the Town’s budget? Email budget@whitby.ca.
