2025 budget book now available online

November 6, 2024 · 0 Comments

A new approach to King’s budget process will make it easier for the public to understand.
For its 2025 budget process, the Township is transitioning to a new approach by adopting a service-based budgeting model. It’s designed to better align with community needs and priorities, instead of a department-based budget that focuses on organizational structure.
The 2025 Budget Book, which provides detailed information on the proposed spending plans and revenue sources by service area, is now available to the public at king.ca/budget.
Moving to a service-based budget benefits residents by increasing transparency and accountability in municipal spending. It allows residents and business owners to see exactly how funds are used for specific services, such as road maintenance, waste management or emergency services, making it easier to understand the value they receive for their tax dollars.
King Township’s 2025 proposed budget is categorized into the following six main service areas:
Governing King – Overseeing the Township through Council, legal services and risk management.
Greening King – Maintenance and development of parks and trails, and enhancing sustainability through waste diversion programs and climate change initiatives.
Keeping King Safe – Providing fire, emergency, bylaw, traffic calming and animal services.
Maintaining King – Ensuring the upkeep of roads, sidewalks, streetlights and public facilities.
Planning and Growing King – Supporting development, building permits and business growth.
Serving King – Offering recreation, library, heritage and cultural programming and events, as well as licensing services.
A service-based budget enhances efficiency, as the municipality can better track and manage the costs and performance of individual services. This helps identify areas for improvement, prioritize resources based on community needs and potentially reduce spending, leading to higher-quality services for residents.
Residents will have multiple opportunities to participate in the budget process and provide input before the final budget approval at the Council meeting on Dec. 9. This is a valuable opportunity to shape the Township’s financial priorities and ensure that the 2025 budget aligns with the needs of all community members. The budget timeline includes several key dates:
Tuesday, Nov. 12: A Council report will present the proposed 2025 water/wastewater rates.
Wednesday, Nov. 13: A budget Open House will be held at the King Township Municipal Centre from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The interactive event will include visual displays illustrating 2025 service priorities, and the proposed funding to support them. The Township’s senior leadership team will be on-site to answer questions.
Monday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 9: Council will hold budget presentations to discuss the budget in further detail and address any questions from the public.
Monday, Dec. 9: The final Council reports for the 2025 User Fees & Charges and the 2025 Budget approval will be presented.
The council meetings start at 6 p.m. and can be attended in-person at the King Township Municipal Centre or watched live at king.ca/meetings. No registration is needed.
The 2025 budget continues to follow the Township’s Corporate Strategic Plan (2023-2026), which will guide business planning and budgeting to meet the most critical priorities of the community. By adopting a service-based approach, the Township will present budget themes that resonate with residents’ experiences of local services rather than the traditional departmental structure.
For more information on the 2025 budget process, including upcoming public engagement opportunities, visit king.ca/budget, speaking.king.ca/2025-budget or contact the Township’s Finance Department at 905-833-5321.