City Proposed Budget Recommends A 2.99% Municipal Tax Levy Increase

The City of Windsor 2025 budget proposes a 2.99% municipal tax levy increase – below the average annual blended rate of inflation and below last year’s 3.93 increase.

Earlier this year, in an effort to address significant budgetary pressures for 2025 three Finance Committees of Councillors and City Administration were established to identify potential savings in operations and service levels.

As a result of work at the Finance Committees, reductions of over $2 million were brought forward for Mayoral consideration. The proposed tax levy increase stood at approximately 5.5% before the Mayor’s final review with City Administration.

In addition to proposed changes to some City services, which will result in cost savings that will be deliberated by Council in the coming weeks, further reductions to the tax levy were supported by an additional tax revenue of $4.85 million anticipated from new development and growth; and additional non-tax related revenue of $5 million from increased internal investment yields and the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

Contemplated in the overall investments for 2025 are:

• $856.8 million for roads;
• $485.2 million for sewers; and
• $186.2 million for parks and recreation.

Notable 2025 investments through the capital plan include:

• $169.3 million for Lauzon Parkway / Cabana Road East – County Road 42
• $35.6 million for airport employment lands servicing
• $15 million for the Lauzon Parkway Extension to the 401
• $50 million for the Banwell Road / E.C. Row Expressway Interchange
• $43.6 million for the Banwell Corridor
• $6.2 million for the East Riverside Planning District on Wyandotte
• Howard Avenue / South Camera intersection work between Division Road and Kenilworth Road
• Ongoing work on Lauzon, north of the E.C. Row Expressway
• Continued work on University Avenue
•  Project tender for the new Peace Fountain
• Installation of a cricket pitch for Derwent Park
• Phase 1A of the South Cameron Trail
• Replacement of the Optimist playground

Pursuant to provincial legislation, City Council has 30 days to propose amendments to the 2025 proposed budget. The public and City Council will have two weeks to review the budget. Council will then hear from delegations on January 13th, 2025. At the conclusion of that meeting, Council will meet to deliberate the 2025 City Budget on January 27, 2025, with any additional rounds of deliberations scheduled, as required, between January 28th to February 3rd, 2025.

The full budget can be found here Friday afternoon.