City Council Approves 2020 Budget

December 18, 2019

NEWS RELEASE

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 2020 BUDGET

DECEMBER 18, 2019 (IQALUIT, NUNAVUT) – Iqaluit City Council approved the 2020 Budget and endorsed its 5 year Strategic Capital Plan at a Special meeting of Council on December 13, 2019.

The 2020 Budget focuses on service delivery for residents and planning for the future.  The budget includes new heavy equipment to ensure safe, reliable service delivery.  A key focus of the 2020 budget is the City’s water infrastructure; specifically the planning and implementation of the long-term water supply and storage, which is critical to City’s ability to increase development.

City Council voted to increase property taxes by 3 per cent. “The increase is required to allow the City to work to address the needs of our growing community,” said Mayor Bell.  “While the Capital Spending Plan addresses many of our immediate needs, the reality is that the City has an infrastructure gap and its long-term needs must be addressed further through external funding and building partnerships”.

“The City’s funds are in a positive position which allows us to address the City’s priorities”, said Councilor Sheppard, Finance Committee Chair”.  The 2020 Budget provides a positive way forward to achieving Council’s strategic objective of fiscal sustainability”.

Budget highlights include:

  • An increase to sanitation rates, of 1 per cent for all customer classifications. The increase will help prepare the City for the operation of its new waste transfer station and landfill;
  • A $31.3 million Capital Spending Plan, which is funded with Federal Infrastructure funds, Gas Tax, Government of Nunavut Block Funding, City reserves and City funds. 
  • The Capital Spending Plan includes funds for the development of the new Waste Transfer Station and Landfill, a program to pump water from the Apex River to the City’s Reservoir, planning for a Long Term Water Supply, assessment of the effects of permafrost degradation on City infrastructure and the long-term viability of the piped water and sewer network.
  • Site improvements to the City’s Cemetery.
  • An Emergency Services Master Plan and Fire Department Risk Assessment.

The new budget goes into effect January 1, 2020.

 

For additional information, please contact:

 

CITY OF IQALUIT

EMAIL:info@iqaluit.ca

 

 

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