Budget 2021

Consultation has concluded

The municipal budget is the City’s business plan for the year.

It describes the costs and revenues associated with delivering municipal services and enables residents to build an understanding about how taxes are used to invest in new infrastructure, repair existing assets and provide daily services that significantly impact the quality of life of residents in Greater Sudbury.

Learn more about the municipal budget by watching this short video:

City Council Approves 2021 Municipal Budget

Following deliberations by the Finance and Administration Committee, City Council has approved the 2021 Municipal Budget with significant investments in roads and drainage, water and wastewater, transitional housing, Pioneer Manor, information technology solutions, building renewal and fleet upgrades.

Council approved a budget with a 4.0 per cent tax increase. For a typical home assessed at $230,000, this means approximately $10 more a month than 2020 property taxes.

The 2021 Operating Budget is $641 million and includes costs to perform routine operations, deliver Council’s approved service levels for the operation of the City’s 58 lines of business, and strategies to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 48 per cent of the operating budget is funded by property taxes.

The $144.1 million capital budget ensures the best investment choices are made by ranking projects based on standard criteria and moving forward with the highest priorities, with 72 per cent spending on roads and water and wastewater infrastructure. The remaining 28 per cent will fund projects in other areas, including leisure services, environmental services, fleet and facilities, paramedic services and police.

The 4.8 per cent water/wastewater user rate increase is in line with the long-term financial plan for the service. Municipal water and wastewater services are fully funded by end users, as mandated by the province, with no impact on property taxes.

Learn more and find highlights of investments in the 'Budget 2021 Update' tab below.

COVID-19 and the Municipal Budget:

The global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected our plans and projects for the year. Staff regularly presents to Council and Committee outlining the financial implications associated with the City's COVID-19 response. These reports describe the effects of COVID-19 on our organization, the efforts we're taking to mitigate those effects and how we plan to achieve the outcomes described in Council’s 2019-2027 Strategic Plan.

The municipal budget is the City’s business plan for the year.

It describes the costs and revenues associated with delivering municipal services and enables residents to build an understanding about how taxes are used to invest in new infrastructure, repair existing assets and provide daily services that significantly impact the quality of life of residents in Greater Sudbury.

Learn more about the municipal budget by watching this short video:

City Council Approves 2021 Municipal Budget

Following deliberations by the Finance and Administration Committee, City Council has approved the 2021 Municipal Budget with significant investments in roads and drainage, water and wastewater, transitional housing, Pioneer Manor, information technology solutions, building renewal and fleet upgrades.

Council approved a budget with a 4.0 per cent tax increase. For a typical home assessed at $230,000, this means approximately $10 more a month than 2020 property taxes.

The 2021 Operating Budget is $641 million and includes costs to perform routine operations, deliver Council’s approved service levels for the operation of the City’s 58 lines of business, and strategies to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 48 per cent of the operating budget is funded by property taxes.

The $144.1 million capital budget ensures the best investment choices are made by ranking projects based on standard criteria and moving forward with the highest priorities, with 72 per cent spending on roads and water and wastewater infrastructure. The remaining 28 per cent will fund projects in other areas, including leisure services, environmental services, fleet and facilities, paramedic services and police.

The 4.8 per cent water/wastewater user rate increase is in line with the long-term financial plan for the service. Municipal water and wastewater services are fully funded by end users, as mandated by the province, with no impact on property taxes.

Learn more and find highlights of investments in the 'Budget 2021 Update' tab below.

COVID-19 and the Municipal Budget:

The global COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected our plans and projects for the year. Staff regularly presents to Council and Committee outlining the financial implications associated with the City's COVID-19 response. These reports describe the effects of COVID-19 on our organization, the efforts we're taking to mitigate those effects and how we plan to achieve the outcomes described in Council’s 2019-2027 Strategic Plan.

Consultation has concluded

Do you have a question about the proposed 2021 Budget or budget process? 

Notice of Collection

The collection of personal information on the Over to You forum is collected under the authority of sections 10 and 227 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25 and will be used by the City to inform the development of strategies, programs and activities, or to gain insight into community views and opinions. All comments, including your user name, will be part of the public record which is posted online and may appear in reports and updates to Council. Questions about the collection or use of personal information may be directed to the Director of Communications and Engagement, City of Greater Sudbury, PO Box 5000 Stn A, 200 Brady Street, Sudbury, Ontario, P3A 5P3 or by calling 311.

  • Proposed budget looks to eliminate the curator position at the museums. Copper Cliff is the oldest town and has their museum not given sufficient funds for maintenance. How can the City maintain the viability and history of the community with the position being planned to be eliminated?

    margjulian asked about 3 years ago

    The budget is a draft document. No decisions have been made at this point. The option arose from museums not operating in 2020 due to COVID-19. We anticipate they will not operate again in 2021. This option is not a reflection of the value of the position or of the individual in that position.

    We are not abandoning museum sites. This is a proposed staffing reduction. The budgets for utilities and building maintenance are not being reduced. City Staff will work with the various groups, particularly the Anderson Farm Heritage Committee and Walden Seniors Woodworkers for access and events, in a broader context.

    Given the need to identify opportunities for savings in various areas service areas, there is potential to suspend the operations, completely for 2021. We believe the suspension of the current program may be an opportunity to determine exactly how the community and the City want to fund and deliver museum services.

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • The pandemic has highlighted issues of income inequality in our region. One key way to reduce income inequality is to ensure that workers receive a Living Wage. The Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre, in partnership with the Ontario Living Wage Network, calculated the Living Wage for the City of Greater Sudbury at $16.98 in 2019. Will the City of Greater Sudbury support the elimination of income inequality in our community by taking the leadership step of becoming a certified Living Wage Employer and committing to play all employees of the City of Greater Sudbury the Living Wage as calculated for our region?

    Scott Florence asked about 3 years ago

    Thanks for the question Scott. There are a number of factors to consider here, ones already in place including our strong ties with our partner Unions though negotiated agreements for full-time employees. We also have a Fair Wage Policy, in line with the Province’s fair wage schedule, that ensures contractors who bid on tendered contractor must comply with the fair wage policy and the fair wage schedule. So, while we haven’t looked for an official designation, it’s something Council and staff could discuss as we look to the great work being done at the provincial level in respect to fair wages.

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • The Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society is very concerned about the proposed Draft Budget cut of $168, 038 from the 4 museums in the Greater City of Sudbury. We have been made aware that the Curator's position may be cut. We have submitted documents to Council for your review and would insist on the Curator's job and the funding to all 4 museums stay in the Budget and not be cut. Does the CGS value and want to preserve and protect; expand and develop the History of CGS, housed in the Anderson Farm Museum, Copper Cliff, Flour Mill & Rayside-Balfour Museums-as vital heritage sites now & for future generations? If you do, you must value the Role of the Curator, hired to be responsible for preserving & protecting; expanding and developing our local History. Leslee Salo, VP Anderson Farm Museum Heritage Society.

    Leslee Salo asked about 3 years ago

    The budget is a draft document. No decisions have been made at this point. The option arose from museums not operating in 2020 due to COVID-19. We anticipate they will not operate again in 2021. This option is not a reflection of the value of the position or of the individual in that position.

    We are not abandoning museum sites. This is proposed a staffing reduction. The budgets for utilities and building maintenance are not being reduced. City Staff will work with the various groups, particularly the Anderson Farm Heritage Committee and Walden Seniors Woodworkers for access and events, in a broader context.

    Given the need to identify opportunities for savings in various areas service areas, there is potential to suspend the operations, completely for 2021. We believe the suspension of the current program may be an opportunity to determine exactly how the community and the City want to fund and deliver museum services.

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • How much money does the city receive from other corporations for use of it's landfill facilities? And are any of these other corporations cities or municipalities?

    Lesser asked about 3 years ago

    We charge a rate for disposal of waste at all of our landfill sites, based on the amount and type of material disposed. This applies to everyone including residents, contractors, and even City departments conducting construction projects. The amount and type of waste disposed varies from year to year and in turn, so do the tipping fees collected in any given year. In 2020, approximately $4,735,000 in commercial tipping fees were collected. The landfill sites do not accept direct deliveries of waste from outside City of Greater Sudbury boundaries and therefore, none of these tipping fees were collected from other cities or municipalities.

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • The following question was asked live, during the February 10 Information Session by Anonymous: Timmins has purchased pothole patching machine, why not Sudbury?

    about 3 years ago

    There is a business case included for this in the 2021 proposed budget, for Council to consider during budget discussion.  

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • How is the savings from reduced plow and sanding services this winter going to be allocated?

    Mitch asked about 3 years ago

    Because the costs change from year to year, there is a winter control reserve fund that holds a balance of money used for either under expenditures or over expenditures. If we were under, we’d draw from that fund. If we were over, the balance would go back to the fund at the end of the year to be used the following year, if needed.

    budget2021
    budget2021

  • Re: Asphalt Resurfacing - Hot In-Place Recycling Pilot Project Given what happened on Cambrian Heights this year where the motorized vehicle travel lanes were resurfaced nicely, but the edges where the bike route is were not because of the nature of the resurfacing (eg the equipment did one pass in either way but was not wide enough to include the bike lane/edgeline areas), can you confirm that this pilot would include the whole road, including the AT area? This would be especially important on roads like Bancroft which has a lot of cycling traffic, and where the road edges in many areas are not in the best shape for comfortable cycling. This may or may not impact budget conversations that are currently happening.

    Bike Sudbury / Vélo Sudbury asked about 3 years ago

    The scope of an individual capital project does not directly affect the budgeting process. Generally speaking, the hot in place recycling project will proceed in 2021 but it’s funded from the 2020 budget. The roads included for the project this year include MR80 and parts of the Kingsway.

    budget2021
    budget2021