Executive summary
- On November 3, 2021 the Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA) Budget Committee received finance department report F-36-21 providing the 2022 budget overview.
- Committee members also received the proposed 2022 budget book which will be required for consideration at the meeting on November 30, 2021.
- Appendix A provides Council Motion Memorandums, Appendix B contains a Consolidated Listing of Budget Action Requests (BAR), Appendix C contains Confidential Budget Action Requests and Appendix D provides a consolidation of budget related questions and answers from Members of Council.
- If more time is required for review of the 2022 budget, the CSSRA Budget Committee meeting will continue on December 2, 2021 with final approval of the 2022 budget taking place at the December 14, 2021 City Council meeting.
Climate implications
- There are several ways in which climate change can impact the budget.
- For example, an increasing number of extreme weather events such as wind, freezing rain, extreme heat and cold can result in operational expenditures due to clean-up costs, potentially requiring a review of the Severe Weather Reserve Fund and impacts to infrastructure resulting in unbudgeted expenses to repair and/or replace.
- Similarly, efforts to mitigate climate change can have a budgetary impact. Investments in renewable energy and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions require higher upfront investments but save the city on operating costs in the longer-term.
- Council approved a Climate Action Plan in 2020 with a target to become a net carbon neutral community by 2050 and the climate goals identified in the city’s Vision to Focus will require significant funding through future budgets.