City councilors began considering on Wednesday Brantford’s preliminary $101-million capital budget for 2023.
The budget includes plans to purchase, build, maintain, repair and replace assets, including buildings, roads and bridges.
Over the next two weeks, staff from city commissions and departments, along with local boards and agencies, will present their individual budgets to councilors.
The lion’s share of the capital budget – 93 per cent – is for public works projects. The remainder is for local boards, including library, police and John Noble Home; community services and social development; people, legislated services and planning; and CAO, including fire, finance, economic development and communications.
There are a total of 203 projects in the preliminary capital budget.
Funding for the capital budget comes from various sources, including reserves, developer contributions, gas tax (now called the Canada Community Building Fund), federal and provincial grants, and debt.
Joelle Daniels, city treasurer and director of finance, said the city’s 10-year capital budget, which will be presented to councilors after consideration of the public works budget, is being complicated by Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act.
One of the law’s most controversial aspects is the freezing, reducing and exemption of fees developers pay to build housing. Those fees go to municipalities to pay for services to support new homes, including roads, sewers, libraries, parks and additional policing.
Daniels said it’s estimated Brantford will lose $154 million in revenue over 10 years because of the law.
“Provincial approval of Bill 23 will put pressure on the city’s ability to fund the growth-related capital programs but the real impacts are largely unknown at this time,” said Daniels in a report to councilors.
When the new Ontario housing law received royal assent in November, Mayor Kevin Davis said the impact could be devastating and result in a big property tax increase for Brantford residents. City councilors are demanding the province make up any financial loss to the municipality.
Individual capital budgets considered on Wednesday were the Brantford Public Library, John Noble Home, and Brantford Police Services.
Included in the library’s budget of just over $1.09 million is $913,000 for architect and consultant fees for a new branch that will be part of the Southwest Community Center and Park to be built at Shellard Lane and McGuiness Drive. Also in the budget is $102,000 for hold lockers and book vending machines, which will be installed in areas “convenient for people to go to,” said Rae-Lynne Aramburo, CEO of the Brantford Public Library.
The John Noble Home’s $515,000 capital budget for 2023 includes a $93,000 generator replacement and $72,000 for building condition assessments.
Brantford Police Services’ capital budget of $2.1 million includes $350,000 for taser replacement and $407,000 for vehicle replacement. There are also plans for 120 officers to be equipped with body-worn cameras.
Councilors made no changes to the proposed capital budget at Wednesday’s meeting. There are additional meetings planned for Jan. 16, 18 and 23. The budget is expected to be approved at a council meeting on Jan. 31.
Meetings to deal with the city’s operating budget will be held in February.