What is a municipal budget?

What are the two major components of a budget?

Within the municipal budget, there are two major components:

• The operating budget accounts for the day-to-day expenses for operations, such as program staff, facility maintenance, and utilities.
• The capital budget plans for the construction of new assets or improvement of existing assets, such as the wastewater treatment facility, Servus Sports Centre, and equipment used in operations.

How do we Balance the Budget?

The Township is required by provincial law to balance its operating and capital budgets each year. Simply put, the money raised must balance the money spent. To balance the budget, the Township can do the following:

• Increase its revenue stream through raised property taxes and fees; or
• Manage expenses through adapting or reducing the cost of programs and services.

What is an Operating budget?

Money is raised in two streams:

• Tax rate: funded primarily through property taxes
• User fees: user fees that are intended to make the programs and services self-sustaining. These include parking, water and wastewater and recreation.

Money is spent on the day-to-day expenses for program and service delivery including township road & sidewalk maintenance, recreation, library, parks, trails and fire services.

What is a Capital budget?

Money is raised through a combination of property taxes, development charges, grants and reserves.

The Township's Capital Budget must plan for the following year while preparing for long term investments. All Township of Ramara infrastructure projects are funded through the Capital Budget. A large part of that funding is directed toward maintaining and rehabilitating existing infrastructure. The Township's Capital Budget also prepares spending for new projects that will enrich lives and make your city a better place to live and do business. The Capital Budget pays for new facilities, playgrounds, and infrastructure to support a growing township. Money is spent on projects designed to create, enhance or restore the service potential of the Township's significant network of assets, which include infrastructure (roads, bridges, buildings etc.), land, equipment and vehicles.

View 10 year Capital Plans