A closer look at the 2025 Draft Budget
Having had more time to review the 2025 draft budget, I wanted to give residents an update on what investments our community can expect as we approach Council’s formal consideration for the budget.
In my last update, which you can read here, I looked at the budget from a high-level, discussing the benefits and challenges that I saw with the budget at a glance. In this update, I want to get into a bit more detail.
In the 2025 Draft Budget, roughly $42 million will be invested into capital projects in our ward. Excluding investments that have City-wide benefits (such as improvements to the trail road landfill), approximately $20 million will be allocated to ward-specific capital investments as a result of this budget. The majority of these capital investments is being directed into road resurfacing, upgrading, and necessary traffic infrastructure.
Some priority and local projects that will receive funding or will be moving forward in 2025 because of this budget include:
Road resurfacing or renewal on Bankfield, Brophy, Moodie, Twin Elm, Third Line, Conley, and Eagleson
Capacity upgrades at the Richmond Pumping station
Investments to complete a roundabout at Bridgeport and Manotick Main
Money to support the widening of Barnsdale Road
Funding to advance the introduction of traffic control measures at Flewellyn and Eagleson and Shea and Flewellyn
A truck route review as described here
Investments to build a dog park in Richmond
Investments to support the introduction of two additional speed cameras in the ward
Funding of outcomes identified during the Rural Summit, including more staffing in the rural affairs office
Other City-wide investments will also benefit our ward, including the doubling of municipal investment into ditching, the hiring of additional police resources to support the district policing model (a system that will help ensure that officers are more present in our communities), and increased funding to tackle our infrastructure deficit.
These are substantial investments and reflect the continued commitment of the Mayor to our communities. This is significant given the serious financial pressures that the City is under.
Even so, I am disappointed by what is missing. In particular, one of my biggest priorities – a stop light at Perth and Shea – remains unfunded. This is due to the intersection not meeting provincially-established warrants for a new light. I have asked staff to take another look at their interpretation of these warrants so that the project can move forward more quickly.
Moreover, despite the investments being substantial, I do think that the City can do more to tighten its belt, whether in this budget or in future budgets. I have prepared close to a dozen motions for Council’s consideration that, in my view, will help ensure that taxpayer dollars are applied more efficiently and that taxes do not continue to increase at the rate we’ve seen recently.
In terms of how I plan to vote on the budget, that will depend on whether Council approves my motions to help improve the City’s fiscal discipline and approach to spending. I will also look to see what other motions my colleagues bring to the table and whether they substantially improve what we are considering on December 11th.