City Budget

The City's annual budget looks to adapt to change and balance competing priorities, while continuing to provide high-quality services our citizens have come to expect.

Every year, Council sets service levels and allocates funding to:

  • deliver the City’s 200+ programs and services
  • invest in infrastructure upgrades
  • achieve the actions in the City’s Strategic Plan

COVID-19 - 2020 Budget Discussions

On August 6, Council revisited the 2020 budget items that were postponed in April due to decreased City revenue in the midst of COVID-19. Council agreed to defer approximately $17 million in capital projects and other initiatives to offset projected revenue shortfalls and additional pandemic-related costs, primarily from parking and the cancellation of convention business.

Three initiatives paused in April, were given the green light to move ahead in 2020, which include: 

  • investing $3.8 million in the long-awaited bike skills and skate park at Topaz Park. Design will begin in 2020 with construction anticipated in 2021.
  • allocating funding to install a new public washroom downtown at the south end of Douglas Street
  • establishing an Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion this fall, which will be staffed by an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer and an Accessibility Coordinator to carry out a number of strategic plan priorities.

Watch the archived webcast August 6 Committee of the Whole meeting. 

On April 9, Council made amendments to the 2020 Financial Plan to deliver a financial relief package to help those in the community who may be experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the archived webcast.

Background

The proposed 2020 budget allotted 258.7 million for operating expenses and $42.1 million for capital expenses.

The Draft 2020 Financial Plan was introduced to City Council at the October 17, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting. View the report.

City staff presented departmental budgets at four Special Council Meetings on October 21 and 31, and November 4 and 15. Watch the archived meetings here.

Public Input

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the Draft 2020 Budget. Public input was presented in a report to City Council for consideration at the Committee of the Whole meeting on December 5, 2019.

Watch the archived webcast and read the public input summary. (Note: All supporting public input files are available by clicking on the archived webcast link above. Please see item E2 on the meeting agenda.)

Public feedback informed Council's deliberations in a series of Special Committee of the Whole Budget Meetings that are available as archived webcasts on:

  • Friday, January 10, 2020 from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Tuesday, January 14, 2020 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Friday, January 17, 2020 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Friday, January 24, 2020 from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Engagement

In the fall of 2019, the community was invited to provide feedback on the Draft 2020 Budget by way of the following:

  • Online Survey
    The online survey is now closed.

  • 2020 Budget Town Hall and E-Town Hall
    Thanks to all those who were able to participate in person and online in our interactive Budget Town Hall/E-Town Hall on Thursday, November 21 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.  The community had the opportunity to provide feedback on the Draft 2020 Budget in person, via Facebook and Twitter, an online form and by telephone -- in advance and during the event. Watch the archived webcast.

  • Budget Town Hall Youth Night
    The City of Victoria Youth Council would like to thank all of the youth who came out to participate in the Budget Town Hall Youth Night on Thursday, November 21 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Quadra Village Community Centre. All questions generated by youth during the event will be shared with Council.

  • Email engage@victoria.ca with "Feedback on the Draft 2020 Budget" in the subject line. Note: All email feedback received by midnight on Sunday, November 24 was included in the engagement package to Council for the December 5, 2019 Committee of the Whole meeting.

What Your City Budget Means to You

 Check out this video to see how your City budget benefits you and your family.