Kitchener’s finalized 2024 budget includes key investments to advance community priorities

Kitchener’s 2024 budget has been adopted after receiving no amendments from City council. The adopted budget includes the key priority areas of supporting city services, focusing on infrastructure, and advancing strategic priorities.

“From the beginning of the budget process, Council, staff and our community worked collaboratively to develop a budget which allowed Council to deliver a tax rate increase of 3.9 per cent, below the rate of inflation, while also advancing the strategic vision priorities outlined in our 2023-2026 strategic plan,” said Kitchener Mayor, Berry Vrbanovic. “Kitchener is a vibrant and innovative community where people from across Canada and the world come to put down roots. This budget achieves the goal of building a vibrant community, while recognizing the current economic climate and a variety of domestic and international economic challenges.”

For the average home in Kitchener, the proposed rate increases for 2024 are:

  • Property taxes: 3.9 per cent, or $47 annually  

  • Water utility: 4.9 per cent, or $21 annually  

  • Sanitary sewer utility: 7.1 per cent, or $39 annually  

  • Stormwater utility: 7.4 per cent, or $17 annually  

This represents a combined annual increase of $124 for the average household. In addition to the initially proposed $5.5 million in strategic investments, staff have worked with council throughout the budget process to identify additional projects that can be supported. As a result, an additional $1.6 million has been allocated to fund strategic priorities. This funding will support:

  • $400k for additional traffic calming and trail connections in neighbourhoods

  • $200k to develop an arena energy strategy as part of the city’s Corporate Climate Action Plan 2.0

  • $300k to move forward with two additional playgrounds replacements

  • $200k to develop a Municipal Newcomers Strategy, including community engagement

  • $300k to improve access and increase usage at Cameron Heights Pool

  • $200k for the implementation of a city-wide data strategy to build organization-wide data practices to deliver better services for residents

“These additional strategic investments demonstrate our commitment to advance the priorities that matter to our residents,” said Ward 1 Councillor and Chair of the Finance & Corporate Services Committee Scott Davey. “During recent terms of council, we’ve made responsible long-term financial planning a top priority. This has allowed us to consistently deliver tax rate increases below the rate of inflation without sacrificing city services or our strategic investments. The 2024 budget is another example of this, and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to deliver for our community.”

The budget will be formally adopted on Friday, Dec. 29. To read the full proposed 2024 budget visit kitchener.ca/budget.   

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This consultation is now complete. The draft 2024 budget was adopted by Council on Dec 14., 2024.  To read the full 2024 budget visit kitchener.ca/budget.