Every two years, the Town of Innisfil develops a service-based budget that identifies the cost of providing services to our community. Within the overall budget, Council adopts an operating budget and a capital budget.

The operating budget addresses the day-to-day cost of providing services to residents and businesses. The capital budget looks ahead to identify the infrastructure that we need to build and maintain. The budget also includes the financial components of the Town's strategic and master plans as adopted by Council.

2023-2024 Budget

We presented the 2023-2024 Budget to Council on December 14, 2022. After public deliberation sessions about the budget, staff returned to Council with a staff report on February 8, 2023 for budget approval and the revised recommendation was approved.

The approved 2023-2024 Budget includes a 5.25% municipal property tax increase in 2023 and 4.95% in 2024. This equates to an annual increase in municipal taxes of $239.21 in 2023 and $237.22 in 2024 for the average household.

Any budget for any organization requires prioritization. After financial challenges stemming from a two-year-long pandemic and extraordinary inflation, difficult decisions had to be made to try and balance the need for growing service delivery with maintaining affordability for our taxpayers.

2024 Budget Process

The 2024 budget must be readopted with the introduction of strong mayor powers in Innisfil. View the presentation to council to learn more.

Timeline
DateProcess Step
Up to December 6, 2023 Staff reviewed and updated the 2024 budget.
December 6, 2023 The proposed budget was published with the Council agenda.
December 6-13, 2023 Council submitted questions to staff and input into the Mayor's budget. 
December 13, 2023 Council discussed the budget and could suggest considerations for the Mayor's budget. Watch the recorded meeting on our YouTube channel.
December 18, 2023 The Mayor declared the budget (Mayoral Decision MD 07-23). There is a Council adjustment period from declaration date to January 10, 2024. 
January 10, 2024 Council endorsed the 2024 Operating and Capital Budget and shortened the 30-day amendment period to end January 10, 2024. Read the staff report for details.

Supporting documents for the 2023-2024 Budget

2023-2024 Budget highlights

The Town’s operating budget, excluding Police, includes $62M (2023) and $64.8M (2024) for the delivery of day-to-day services to resident and businesses, and a Capital Levy of $10.1M (2023) and $11.7M (2024) for the repair and replacement of assets. The capital budget of $68M (2023) and $53M (2024) looks ahead to identify the infrastructure needed to maintain and build Town assets.

Highlights of the 2023/24 Operating budget include:

  • Fire Protection - $8.8M
  • Parks and Open Spaces - $3.2M
  • Roads, Sidewalks and Winter Control - $6.2M
  • Sports, Recreational Activities & Facilities - $9M
  • Library Services - $3.9M
  • Police - $12.8M

Key Capital Projects:

  • Roads Rehabilitation - $19.4M
  • Innisfil Beach Park Improvements - $6.2M
  • 25th Sideroad Improvements - $11.3M
  • Lockhart Road Improvements - $6.2M

Budget deliberation recordings

Council deliberated the 2023-2024 Budget on January 25 and 27, 2023.

Guiding financial policies

Every Town project, initiative and goal, as well as our budget planning, is guided by our Community Strategic Plan: Innovative Innisfil 2030. This plan was developed through extensive consultation and thousands of comments and pieces of feedback from the community. The pillars of Grow, Connect and Sustain guide our strategic goals and initiatives.

We also use these Town financial policies to guide our decision-making when developing the budget:

2023-2024 Budget engagement

Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete our budget survey! Check out the engagement summary report to see what your fellow neighbours said about service level priorities. Please email us at budget@innisfil.ca with any comments or questions.

About the Budget

Learn more about how the Innisfil Budget is developed and where funds are distributed throughout the community.

Breakdown of your tax dollar

Breakdown that shows the town keeps 46 cents of each tax dollar collectedYour property tax bill may be paid to the Town of Innisfil, but only 46 cents of every dollar stays with us. We use this portion to provide the many critical services you rely on every day, from maintaining parks and roads to delivering fire and rescue services and so much more. We also set aside funds for the Town’s Capital Levy. 

The rest goes to the County of SimcoeSouth Simcoe Police Service, and the Province of Ontario (Education). The County of Simcoe is our “upper-tier” level of government that provides waste collection, paramedic services, long-term care, forestry, social services and more.

Capital Levy

Just like your car, house or electronic devices, physical municipal assets have a limited lifespan and require ongoing maintenance to extend their life. Eventually, they need to be replaced or discarded. The Town collects a Capital Levy—money set aside to help pay for the repair and replacement of existing assets or new assets and projects that aren’t eligible for funding from development charges.

How your tax dollars are calculated

Property assessment and property taxes play a significant role in the Town's budget. The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for assessing every property in Ontario. The Town uses the property assessments to determine the tax rate required to collect the revenue needed to deliver services to our residents. The tax rate is then applied to the assessed value of each property to arrive at the amount of property taxes owed.

Learn more about property taxes and assessments.

Service-based budgeting

Our service-based budget breaks down costs and resources by service, rather than by department, helping residents better see where tax dollars are being spent.

Advantages of service-based budgeting

  • Improved services: Taking a closer look at what we do allows us to focus on making sure we are operating efficiently and effectively.
  • Back to basics: A service-based budget means every employee and leader is asking themselves about what services they provide and where they should focus their time to deliver the best value.
  • Easier to understand: A service-based budget is a more simple and focused way of viewing a budget. By creating a more accessible budget, we are empowering Council and the community to have a better understanding of the value and costs of the services we provide.
  • Public accountability: A service-based budget allows employees to track their time based on the services they deliver. All costs associated with the service are captured, uncovering the true cost in a more holistic way.

Operating Budget vs. Capital Budget

Learn more about the differences between an operating budget and a capital budget:

Operating Budget

The operating budget is used to keep the municipality running on a day-to-day basis.

When you call the Town to report a problem, pull over for firefighters on their way to a call, or attend a library program, this is the operating budget at work. It makes up essential services, such as pothole repairs, snow clearing and park maintenance. This budget ensures that we have engineers, librarians, community standards officers, town planners, administrative support, financial analysts and an overall great team of employees who strive to make Innisfil a great place to live.

Capital Budget

The capital budget is used to request funding for new assets, major repairs and replacement of existing assets.

Whether we are building a new health centre, replacing a roof on a building or repaving a road, this is the capital budget at work. Capital budget projects include initiatives like bridge repairs, road-widenings, new parks and facilities, and new construction, expansions or renovations.

Past Budgets

View past Town of Innisfil budgets:

Please contact us to request budgets for previous years.