Focused on critical community needs including housing, public safety and infrastructure
Brampton, ON – (Dec. 8, 2023) – Yesterday, Regional Council approved Peel’s 2024 Operating and Capital Budget, with investments balanced between the needs of residents and businesses and the infrastructure needs of the broader community.
The development of the 2024 Budget was guided by Twelve Principles, with priority focus on the challenges Peel is facing as a growing community and increased service demands. Ongoing challenges include heightened inflation, aging infrastructure, the climate emergency and changing legislation.
The 2024 Budget includes investments of $5.9 billion to maintain current service levels for a growing population, while addressing priority community needs.
Critical urgent needs include:
- The housing affordability crisis
- Provincial housing targets that require accelerated infrastructure investments
- Public health and safety
- An influx of asylum seekers placing extraordinary pressure on Peel’s emergency shelter system
- The declared climate change emergency
- Eliminating systemic discrimination
Service Investments to Support the Community
Peel Regional Police
- Increased investment in public safety through the addition of 135 uniformed officers, 96 civilian professionals, and 10 cadets
- Capital investments to replace and build infrastructure, vehicles and equipment, expansion of facilities and advancing innovation
- 2024-2027 Peel Regional Police Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Ontario Provincial Police – Town of Caledon
Housing Support
- Enhancing investments in housing subsidy and wrap around supports through an investment of $5.4 million, to help 500-700 more households receive subsidies and/or supports
- Enabling the development of an initial 100 community and/or supportive housing units with non-profit partner(s), with a $71 million capital investment in the Non-Profit Housing Development Program
- Continuing to implement the Peel Community Housing Development Program with a capital investment of $12.4 million, enabling the development of a total of 1,444 units in the program
- Expanding the place-based homelessness outreach teams and maintaining mobile outreach teams by investing $6.5 million
- Improving access to health services and other supports for the homeless and precariously housed
- Service transformation; a multi-year initiative that involves temporary enhanced emergency/crisis responses, a focus on prevention and increased faster access to housing subsidies and enhanced case management support
- Providing $98 million for the state of good repair of Peel Living homes
- Enhancing tenant relations
- 2024-2027 Housing Support Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Water and Wastewater
- Investing over $1 billion in capital investments to support the achievement of the Province’s new housing target – investments include $459.6 million for wastewater collection main replacement and construction, and $272.5 million for expansion of Water Resource Recovery Facilities
- Prioritizing short-term growth-enabling infrastructure projects in all local municipalities to address growth priorities and areas where there are current development pressures not previously contemplated
- Aligning the capital program with Peel’s new official plan
- Employing a climate change lens on new capital and rehabilitation projects
- 2024-2027 Water and Wastewater Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Transportation
- Maintaining 1,700 lane kilometres of road to help keep residents safe and traffic moving
- $117 million for road construction, intersection improvements, and active transportation
- $25 million for roads structure replacement and rehabilitation and other asset management-related works
- $5.3 million for the replacement of TransHelp vehicles at end of life and technology investments to enhance service delivery
- Updating the Transportation Master Plan to account for changes in housing targets, and planning for growth to 2051
- Investing resources to support the expeditious implementation of higher order transit
- Building growth infrastructure on Mississauga Rd., Mayfield Rd., and Dixie Rd.
- Building and improving active transportation facilities such as sidewalks and multiuse paths
- 2024-2027 Transportation Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Paramedics
- Adding 36 paramedics and three 24/7 ambulances to manage system pressures such as increasing call volumes, offload delay and staffing shortages
- Investing $23.2 million to complete the construction of the Docksteader divisional reporting station
- Ensuring ongoing service delivery through a capital investment of $5.0 million for future Paramedic station design
- $8.2 million for purchases of ambulances and other fleet
- Delivering mental health and wellness initiatives to support the psychological health and safety of the paramedics
- 2024-2027 Paramedic Services Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Seniors Services
- Serving 830 residents across all five Peel Long Term Care homes
- Stabilizing operations in Long-Term care due to increased Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) requirements and complex post-pandemic resident care by adding18 staff
- Continuing to advance operations at the Seniors Health and Wellness Village
- Enhancing the workforce to improve resident care and staff experience
- Phased implementation and compliance with the Fixing Long Term Care Act, 2021 to enhance resident experience and quality of life net cost of $ 1.2 million
- Piloting integrated care and expanding Adult Day Services and Respite Care to support clients and caregivers to age at home
- 2024-2027 Seniors Services Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Public Health
- Expanding public health inspection capacity to respond to the increased number of complaints and inspection requirements of water facilities and food premises
- Increasing tuberculosis program capacity to prevent transmission in the community
- Building capacity to address the health impacts of climate change and reduce risk to Peel residents’ health and well-being
- 2024-2027 Public Health Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Community Investment
- Ensuring food security and basic needs while supporting community groups including black serving agencies, asylum seekers and Peel’s other vulnerable populations through an additional investment of $3.2 million
- Providing an additional $2 million in 2024 to the food security funding stream for food banks who are experiencing a 60% increase in food bank use
- Finding solutions that can mitigate the impacts of poverty
- Coordinating a systems response to increased immigration and arrival of refugees seeking supports
- Advocating for resources and greater coordination for Anti-Human Sex Trafficking supports
- 2024-2027 Community Investment Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Waste Management
- Managing 550,000+ tonnes of waste annually from Peel’s 1.5 million residents
- Transitioning of Peel’s Blue Box program on Oct. 1, 2024
- Implementing the Organics and Yard Waste Processing Plan
- Implementing a Mixed Waste Processing Pilot
- 2024-2027 Waste Management Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Early Years and Child Care
- Continuing to implement the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan, with an increase of $60.6 million to expand the affordability program of lowering child care fees
- Expanding by 11,980 child care spaces to underserved communities
- Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion to ensure programs, policies and practices reflect the diverse needs of the community
- 2024-2027 Early Years and Child Care Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Income Support
- Providing an average of 25,000 residents with Ontario Works assistance on a monthly basis
- Working with the community and other levels of government to improve social assistance programs
- Implementing digital solutions to increase access to supports and services
- 2024-2027 Income Support Business Plan and 2024 Budget
Cost savings and cost avoidance of $9.0 million have been reflected in the 2024 Budget, found through continuous improvement efforts and cost containment measures. The Continuous Improvement Program contributes to a strong culture of driving value, efficiency, and innovations at all levels of the organization and is directly tied to the Region’s annual budget process.
The 2024 Budget includes an average property tax increase of 1.9% for Region Controlled programs, 2.5% for Peel Regional Police and 0.1% for other External Agencies. In total, the budget increase of 4.5% contributes to the average residential property and commercial/industrial property tax bills of $245 and $432 respectively.
The budget includes a utility rate increase of 6.8%. The average home will see an increase to their utility bill of 21¢ per day (or $78 per year), while the average commercial/industrial property will see an increase of 22¢ per day (or $82 per year).
Quotes
“The 2024 Budget maintains vital services and makes key infrastructure investments while ensuring the challenges that our community is facing are a top priority. Council has passed a budget that invests responsibly in core service levels, promotes community safety, and protects the vulnerable, while also striving for innovation and efficiencies at all levels.”
Nando Iannicca, Regional Chair
“The 2024 Peel Region budget makes fiscally responsible, strategic investments in the community. The budget that has been passed includes funding for community housing, essential infrastructure, public safety, paramedics, and seniors’ services, climate change adaptation, the elimination of systemic discrimination, along with a host of important community-focused initiatives. Peel’s 2024 budget makes these necessary investments while following the Region’s long-standing reputation for fiscal responsibility.”
Gary Kent, Chief Administrative Officer
“In the midst of the social emergencies Peel Region is facing, the Council-supported 2024 Budget provides community investments that strike a balance between fiscal responsibility, and financial sustainability, while maintaining and improving services and infrastructure as we navigate these uncertain times. This budget ensures business continuity so that the Region’s $36 billion in infrastructure assets continue to provide service at the same level, now and in the future, and the complex and integral services of Peel continue uninterrupted.”
Davinder Valeri, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Finance
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About Peel’s Transition
The Ontario government announced the dissolution of Peel Region and the establishment of a Transition Board (TB) as part of Bill 112. The Transition Board was appointed to provide recommendations to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on a range of restructuring matters related to the dissolution of Peel Region to make Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon independent municipalities by January 1, 2025.
To learn about the Transition Board, how it will make these recommendations, and to provide feedback to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, visit Ontario’s Peel Region Transition Board website.
During our transition, Peel remains committed to providing services to residents and businesses. For information about our transition, visit Peel’s transition website.
About Peel Region
Peel Region works with residents and partners to create a healthy, safe, and connected Community for Life for approximately 1.5 million people and over 200,000 businesses in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Peel’s services touch the lives of residents every day. For more information, explore peelregion.ca and follow us on X @regionofpeel and Instagram @peelregion.ca.
