Regional Council approves 2020 budget
Waterloo Region – Regional Council approved the 2020 budget today.
This budget will help provide citizens the services and infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of our community. Council decided to enhance public transit, paramedic services and seniors’ care in this year’s budget.
“This reflects what we’re focusing on based on our community’s priorities,” said Karen Redman, Regional Chair. “Services that promote climate action, as well as healthy, safe and inclusive communities, ensure a high quality of life for the people of Waterloo Region.”
Major investments in 2020 include enhanced paramedic services and increased transit services as outlined in our long term business plans. This includes the addition of two 12 hour ambulances and 10 paramedics. Council has approved 35,000 additional hours of Transit service in 2020. This will improve service frequency in all three cities and will better align with ION service.
Additional funds have been allocated in this budget to invest in various critical service areas. Personal Support Workers have been added to increase the direct care staffing hours at Sunnyside Home and implementation of the Waterloo Region Housing master plan will begin. The budget includes a number of active transportation related projects including cycling facilities and multi-use trails, as well as numerous energy efficiency projects at Regional buildings. Through the 2020 budget we continue to invest in new infrastructure to support our growing community; such as the Northfield Drive Transit facility, a new central division for Waterloo Regional Police Services, and rehabilitation and replacement of aging infrastructure.
"Every regional budget has its own set of particular challenges. In the 2020 budget, increased police costs and increased investments in public transit, seniors’ services, housing and paramedic services are expenditures required to meet a growing and dynamic community,” said Sean Strickland, Regional Councillor and Chair of the Region’s Budget Committee. “Added to these challenges is the increased emphasis on additional funds to address climate change. With the help of Regional Council, we were able to approve a budget that meets these challenges in a cost effective manner.”
The Region has identified $13.6 million in sustainable savings over the last five years, and continues to focus on providing excellent value to the community.
The Region’s current operating and capital budget is $1.3 billion, representing a tax rate increase of 3.84 per cent over 2019: 2.46 per cent for Regional services and 1.38 per cent for police services. This increase will impact the average household by $78.
Approximately 63 per cent of total municipal property taxes collected in the region goes toward funding Regional services.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Bryan Stortz, Communications Director, 519-575-4408 or bstortz@regionofwaterloo.ca