FAQs

The Municipal Act, 2001 authorizes a municipality to prepare and adopt a budget covering a period of two to five years. 

In a multi-year budget, Council approves service plans and budgets for more than one year at a time, subject to annual re-adoption, to fund the priorities in Council’s Strategic Plan.

This municipal budget will be the first multi-year budget prepared by the City of Greater Sudbury. The operating budget will be for two years, from 2024-2025, while the capital budget will be for four years (2024-2027).

In March 2023, Council directed staff to determine how the City could approach preparing a budget for multiple years. Staff shared their proposed approach in a May 16, 2023 report entitled Multi-Year Budgeting. 

• Enables Council to implement a multi-year vision, focusing on achieving longer term plans.
• Allows the City to better anticipate longer-term financial needs and allocate resources accordingly.
• Makes it easier for residents to see how the City is planning to allocate resources over the long term and anticipate future direction of taxes.
• More efficient use of time and resources as the organization is not constantly preparing budgets.
• Procurements can be planned farther in advance and create more stable, longer-term contracts.

The next budget will include:

• An operating budget for two years (2024-2025) and 
• a capital budget for four years (2024-2027)

Yes. There is an annual budget update process that must happen each year, which is required under the Municipal Act, 2001.

Council must readopt the budget annually for each year to which the multi-year budget applies.

During the annual budget update, Council can adjust the budget as needed or make changes that are required to make the budget compliant with the Municipal Act. 

Council can do this through three types of budget amendments:

• New or Changed Regulation – The organization must address a new or changed legislation or regulation that has a financial impact to the municipality.
• New Council Direction – Council has provided a new direction after the multi-year budget was approved.
• Cost or Revenue Driver – There is a corporate or service area budget shortfall due to changes in economic conditions.