City of Waterloo Council affirms 2025 city budget

City of Waterloo Council has unanimously confirmed a 6.34 per cent property tax increase for 2025, as previously approved as part of the City’s three-year budget.

The increase consists of two components – 3.84 per cent is base budget and operating impacts of capital and 2.50 per cent is for service level changes and infrastructure investment. The average household will see an increase of about $8 per month, or $99 annually, on their property tax as a result of the increase.

“The City of Waterloo continues to face pressures from updated labour and other committed operational obligations, as well as provincial legislative changes,” said Councillor Diane Freeman, Finance liaison. “Similar to our residents and businesses, we are impacted by ongoing price increases – the escalating cost of goods and services impacts the City’s cost of doing business. In spite of these pressures, we are pleased to be able to confirm the previously approved 2025 budget and continue the work we are doing to close our infrastructure gap, and to fund the critical services and programs that our residents depend on.”

Among the initiatives planned for 2025:

• Continued funding for the Fire Master Plan expansion, including additional operational expenses and staff costs related to expanding Fire Services in our growing and changing city.
• Continued funding for the phased-in Winter Sidewalk Maintenance Service Enhancement, to improve winter sidewalk accessibility for everyone.
• Additional development planners in response to provincial legislation and in support of our commitment to build more homes faster.
• Increasing preventative building maintenance funding.
• Additional infrastructure funding to assist in closing the $39 million average annual funding gap for tax-based assets.

• Adjustment to the capital budget will still see key investments in support of all our Strategic Priority areas.
  • Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion:
    - Accessible Facility Upgrades
    - Indigenous Gathering Space
  • Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action:
    - Facility Transformational Projects
    - Green Building Policy Implementation
  • Complete Community:
    - St. Moritz Community Park
    -  AMCC Sportsplex and WPL McCormick Branch Library Renovations
  • Infrastructure and Transportation Systems:
    - Beaver Creek Road and Conservation Drive Reconstruction
    - Structurally Deficient Watermain Rehabilitation
  • Innovation and Future-Ready:
    - Generation Park Lands Servicing
    - Digital Strategy Implementation

As part of the 2025 budget confirmation, Council also approved two additional staff positions with zero tax-based impact:

• a full time Care Facilitator in Community Programming and Outreach Services, to provide support services for older adults being discharged from hospital (funded by Ontario Health); and
• a Firekeeper/Municipal Reconciliation Lead Position, to advance the work of the regional Reconciliation Action Partnership (RAP) (funded by the RAP operating budget).

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For more information, please contact: 

Brad Witzel
Director, Financial Planning & Asset Management
The City of Waterloo
brad.witzel@waterloo.ca   

Cari Van Niekerk
Director, Corporate Communications
The City of Waterloo
cari.vanniekerk@waterloo.ca