Budget and Financial

2020 Business Plans and Budgets

Durham Regional Council approved its 2020 Business Plans and Budgets for property-tax supported programs and services on Wednesday February 26, 2020.

The approved 2020 Business Plans and Budgets is a plan that focuses on front line services for Durham Region residents which ensures programs and service levels are maintained - in response to previously announced reductions in provincial funding - while making affordable, responsible and strategic investments in capital infrastructure and key priority areas to help sustain the Region’s high quality of life.

The approved 2020 Business Plans and Budgets include total gross expenditures of $1.44 billion requiring a 2020 tax levy of $698.34 million.  This represents a net property tax budgetary increase of 2.42 per cent or approximately $65 for an average residential home assessed at $483,100 and is lower than the overall 2.50 per cent guideline approved in November.  

Highlights of the 2020 Business Plans and Budgets include:

Responding to growth and affordability pressures and supporting the vulnerable sector:

• Enhancing emergency coverage with 12 new paramedics and a new 24 hour ambulance that will operate along the Highway 401 corridor and increased investment in the Incident Response Unit to provide advanced care paramedic response to critical calls throughout evening hours.
• Developing a Master Housing Strategy and completing a Portfolio Review of the Durham Region Local Housing Corporation housing stock, including investing additional funds to meaningfully advance the outcomes from these reviews to support At Home in Durham and achieve Council’s affordable housing targets.
• Investing $1.5 million for an additional 20 frontline police officers.
• Operating more than 13,000 additional hours of Durham Region Transit (DRT) conventional and On Demand service (compared to 2019), including the introduction of the Region’s first articulated buses and beginning the acquisition of the Region’s first zero emission battery electric buses.  Durham Region Transit will also continue ridership initiatives from 2019 including Kids Ride Free, Y10 youth 10-month loyalty pass and Transit Assistance Program pilot.
• Supporting seniors through the implementation of the Ontario Seniors Dental Program (OSDCP).  The OSDCP is available to people 65 years of age and older who qualify for service under this program.
• Providing eight additional front line staff at the Region’s long-term care homes including personal support workers, a nurse practitioner, a registered practical nurse and a recreational programmer.
• Investing in pandemic supplies to ensure stock in case of an outbreak.

Innovating and modernizing operations and administration:

• Improving road safety through the implementation of various Vision Zero initiatives including engineering measures such as line marking improvements, safety studies, controlled pedestrian crossings, speed management devices, and more.
• Driving implementation of the Durham Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan and the Durham Community Energy Plan.
• Implement the Customer Experience Transformation Project. 
• Initiating work and consultation on the design and development of a Regional Community Improvement Plan.
• Advancing Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities on key transit corridors, including the establishment of the TOD office.
• Implement the Farm 9-1-1 Program to improve emergency response times through 9-1-1 sign coverage and documentation of property access points.

 Accommodating ongoing legislative and regulatory changes:

• Investing in a new tobacco enforcement officer to respond to increased enforcement activities, such as cannabis use and the Regional Smoking and Vaping By-law.
• Completing the Region’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

Investing in infrastructure renewal:

• Advancing road widening projects to support growth, including Westney Road in Ajax, from Rossland Road to Taunton Road; and Thickson Road from Wentworth Street to the CN Rail Bridge in Whitby.  Also included is initial work for the planned longer-term widening and realignment of Gibb Street from Stevenson Road to Ritson Road in Oshawa.
• Investing in rehabilitation work to maintain existing road infrastructure across the Region, including:  Concession Road 7, York Durham Line and Zephyr Road in Uxbridge; Centre Street, Simcoe Street, Olive Avenue, Grandview Street North and Columbus Road East in Oshawa; Lake Ridge Road in Scugog/Uxbridge; and Taunton Road and Enfield Road in Clarington. 
• Advancing $2.4 million in the Region’s four long-term care homes and equipment.
• Replacing telephony and supporting technology infrastructure for Emergency 9-1-1.
• Prioritizing investment in several climate change initiatives that will strengthen the resilience of regional infrastructure and improve the environment.
• Providing funding under the Region’s Community Investment Grant Policy to support the expansion of Trent University Durham and Durham College - Whitby Campus, as well as additional funding for the construction of hospices in the Region. 

You can subscribe to this webpage below and be alerted when further information becomes available.

For more information or questions about the budget, please contact the Finance Department at budgets@durham.ca or by phone at 905-668-7711 extension 2302 or 1-800-372-1102 (toll-free).

Regional Business Planning Cycle

The Regional Municipality of Durham's business plans and budgets are a key component of the Region's business cycle.

The business planning process includes:

• Strategic planning
• Risk assessment
• Multi-year economic and financial forecasting
• Property tax and user rate guidelines
• Asset management planning
• Long-term servicing and financing studies
• Detailed business plans and budgets
• Performance measurement

Our business plans and annual budgets outline the operating and capital financing needed to deliver essential services to our residents. The budgets align with the Durham Region Strategic Plan. They also provide funding to:

• Maintain existing levels of service.
• Address critical needs.
• Address legislative and regulatory changes.
• Outline strategic programs enhancements in priority areas.

The Region prepares two budgets. The first is for services funded by property taxes, which presents the operating and capital funding requirements for the following Regional services:

• Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS)
• Durham Region Transit (DRT)
• Regional roads and bridges
• Solid waste management
• Social services:
• Long-term care and services for seniors
• Social housing
• Social assistance
• Children's services
• Family services
• Public health
• Paramedic services
• Planning and economic development
• Emergency management
• 9-1-1 services

The second is for the user rates that provide operating and capital funding requirements for the municipal water and sewer services. Homeowners receive a water and sewer bill based on how much they use. Water and sewer services are not funded by property taxes.

Approved property tax supported Regional business plans and budgets 

Approved water and sewer user rate Regional business plans and budgets

 Region of Durham Water Financial Plan

·      Enhancing emergency coverage with 12 new paramedics and a new 24 hour ambulance that will operate along the Highway 401 corridor and increased investment in the Incident Response Unit to provide advanced care paramedic response to critical calls throughout evening hours.

·      Developing a Master Housing Strategy and completing a Portfolio Review of the Durham Region Local Housing Corporation housing stock, including investing additional funds to meaningfully advance the outcomes from these reviews to support At Home in Durham and achieve Council’s affordable housing targets.

·      Investing $1.5 million for an additional 20 frontline police officers.

·      Operating more than 13,000 additional hours of Durham Region Transit (DRT) conventional and On Demand service (compared to 2019), including the introduction of the Region’s first articulated buses and beginning the acquisition of the Region’s first zero emission battery electric buses.  Durham Region Transit will also continue ridership initiatives from 2019 including Kids Ride Free, Y10 youth 10-month loyalty pass and Transit Assistance Program pilot.

·      Supporting seniors through the implementation of the Ontario Seniors Dental Program (OSDCP).  The OSDCP is available to people 65 years of age and older who qualify for service under this program.

·      Providing eight additional front line staff at the Region’s long-term care homes including personal support workers, a nurse practitioner, a registered practical nurse and a recreational programmer.

·      Investing in pandemic supplies to ensure stock in case of an outbreak.

Innovating and modernizing operations and administration:

·      Improving road safety through the implementation of various Vision Zero initiatives including engineering measures such as line marking improvements, safety studies, controlled pedestrian crossings, speed management devices, and more.

·      Driving implementation of the Durham Community Climate Change Adaptation Plan and the Durham Community Energy Plan.

·      Implement the Customer Experience Transformation Project

·      Initiating work and consultation on the design and development of a Regional Community Improvement Plan.

·      Advancing Transit Oriented Development (TOD) opportunities on key transit corridors, including the establishment of the TOD office.

·      Implement the Farm 9-1-1 Program to improve emergency response times through 9-1-1 sign coverage and documentation of property access points.

 Accommodating ongoing legislative and regulatory changes:

·      Investing in a new tobacco enforcement officer to respond to increased enforcement activities, such as cannabis use and the Regional Smoking and Vaping By-law.

·      Completing the Region’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

Investing in infrastructure renewal:

·      Advancing road widening projects to support growth, including Westney Road in Ajax, from Rossland Road to Taunton Road; and Thickson Road from Wentworth Street to the CN Rail Bridge in Whitby.  Also included is initial work for the planned longer-term widening and realignment of Gibb Street from Stevenson Road to Ritson Road in Oshawa.

·      Investing in rehabilitation work to maintain existing road infrastructure across the region, including:  Concession Road 7, York Durham Line and Zephyr Road in Uxbridge; Centre Street, Simcoe Street, Olive Avenue, Grandview Street North and Columbus Road East in Oshawa; Lake Ridge Road in Scugog/Uxbridge; and Taunton Road and Enfield Road in Clarington. 

·      Advancing $2.4 million in the region’s four long-term care homes and equipment.

·      Replacing telephony and supporting technology infrastructure for emergency 9-1-1.

·      Prioritizing investment in several climate change initiatives that will strengthen the resilience of regional infrastructure and improve the environment.

·      Providing funding under the region’s Community Investment Grant Policy to support the expansion of Trent University Durham and Durham College-Whitby Campus, as well as additional funding for the construction of hospices in the region. 

The recommended 2020 property tax supported Regional Business Plans and Budgets which were presented to the Finance and Administration Committee on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 are available below.