City Planning 2021 Municipal Budget With 0% Overall Property Tax Levy Increase

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The City of Windsor released the draft 2021 municipal budget Friday morning with an overall property tax levy increase of 0%.

The city says key features of the 2021 Operating Budget include $8 million in savings identified to help ensure continued fiscal sustainability, more than $10 million in targeted new spending, fully offset by a corresponding reduction in the Education Levy, $2.5 million or 0.6% increase towards municipal operating needs, about $3-million or 0.7% increase towards agencies, board and committees and an overall net operating budget of $426,576,438 for 2021, the same amount as in 2020.

The City of Windsor has also prepared a detailed 10-year Capital Plan, which forecasts $1.6 billion towards priority infrastructure projects, such as roads, sewers, parks, recreation and culture facilities, and transit investments.

The city also continues to face ongoing pressures caused by the COVID-19 public health crisis. Reduced revenues from municipal operations; higher costs due to personal protective equipment and increased cleaning protocols; and reduced or eliminated dividends from operations at the airport, Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the casino’s municipal contribution have resulted in a projected $38 million in un-funded pressures for 2021.

“It is unreasonable for any municipality to shoulder the costs associated with COVID-19 on their own. As they did in 2020, I hope and expect that the federal government will partner with the Province of Ontario to provide targeted relief to municipalities,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.