Budget Engagement 2022

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Consultation has concluded

Welcome to the City of Niagara Falls 2022 Budget Engagement

Each year, the City of Niagara Falls undertakes an annual budget process to create budgets that support city operations and deliver the programs and services required to maintain the high quality of life we enjoy in our community.

The budget is made up of three parts:

  1. Operating Budget: Annual operations of city facilities and services, primarily funded through property taxes and user fees, excluding water and sewer.
  2. Water and Sewer Budget: Annual operations of water and sewer distribution, funded through user rates.
  3. Capital Budget: Capital program for all city projects, funded through taxes, water and sewer fees, development charges, debt, grants, or other reserve funds.

The Budget impacts you through the City programs and services you receive. Each time you have your road plowed, use a City park or trail, or cool off in a municipal pool or splash pad, you are seeing your tax dollars at work. The City strives to achieve a balance of services that improves our quality of life and supports our economy in a responsible manner.

Through the budget process, choices are made to ensure the City services provided to residents align with the priorities in the City of Niagara Falls 2019-2022 Strategic Priorities. The budget is the City's plan for the coming year, expressed in dollars.

Consultation is now closed. 

From October 1st to October 29th, residents had the opportunity to provide their feedback on the City's 2022 Budget. Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. The feedback received will be shared with City staff and Council as part of the 2022 City budget process. It will help our Mayor and Council understand public priorities on various services provided by the City, and will better inform Council's financial decisions.

Even though the consultation period has closed, residents are still encouraged to learn more about the 2022 Budget Process:


Welcome to the City of Niagara Falls 2022 Budget Engagement

Each year, the City of Niagara Falls undertakes an annual budget process to create budgets that support city operations and deliver the programs and services required to maintain the high quality of life we enjoy in our community.

The budget is made up of three parts:

  1. Operating Budget: Annual operations of city facilities and services, primarily funded through property taxes and user fees, excluding water and sewer.
  2. Water and Sewer Budget: Annual operations of water and sewer distribution, funded through user rates.
  3. Capital Budget: Capital program for all city projects, funded through taxes, water and sewer fees, development charges, debt, grants, or other reserve funds.

The Budget impacts you through the City programs and services you receive. Each time you have your road plowed, use a City park or trail, or cool off in a municipal pool or splash pad, you are seeing your tax dollars at work. The City strives to achieve a balance of services that improves our quality of life and supports our economy in a responsible manner.

Through the budget process, choices are made to ensure the City services provided to residents align with the priorities in the City of Niagara Falls 2019-2022 Strategic Priorities. The budget is the City's plan for the coming year, expressed in dollars.

Consultation is now closed. 

From October 1st to October 29th, residents had the opportunity to provide their feedback on the City's 2022 Budget. Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. The feedback received will be shared with City staff and Council as part of the 2022 City budget process. It will help our Mayor and Council understand public priorities on various services provided by the City, and will better inform Council's financial decisions.

Even though the consultation period has closed, residents are still encouraged to learn more about the 2022 Budget Process:


Consultation has concluded

  • 2022 Operating Budget

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    At a Special meeting of Council held on Tuesday, January 25th Niagara Falls City Council unanimously approved the 2022 net operating budget of $84,424,468.

    CAO Jason Burgess made a presentation outlining background considerations for the 2022 budget including budget measures, risks and the roadmap forward. The proposed 2022 operating budget incorporates new services and the initial phases of major corporate initiatives, reflects the removal of unsustainable funding sources, and introduces new budgeting practices.

    Council approved the 2.9% operating budget levy increase plus a 1% ongoing capital investment levy, or $2,924,236, bringing the total 2022 tax levy to $77,904,652. The impact to the average home owner in Niagara Falls will be approximately $4.66 per month/$55.92 per year.

    The use of $6,519,816 in reserves was also approved as part of the 2022 operating budget, and Council directed Staff to bring a report at a future date outlining the reserves that will be consolidated and utilized to fund the 2022 budget.

  • 2022 Budget Engagement Results

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    At the December 7, 2021 City Council meeting, Niagara Falls CAO Jason Burgess, with Dale Morton, Manager of Communications & Corporate Initiatives, presented the City’s 2022 Budget engagement campaign and the results of the public feedback survey. The presentation can now be viewed online here.

  • 2022 Parking Budget

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    At the November 16, 2021 Council Meeting, Jonathan Leavens, Acting Director of Finance, presented the 2022 Parking budget, and discussed:

    • parking pressures including a reduction in parking demand due to COVID and a reduction in parking spaces,
    • opportunities including new local attractions like the Fallsview Casino Entertainment Centre and a summer student pilot project, and
    • new initiatives including Strategic Parking Plans (reviewing supply and demand, parking rates and future growth for new service areas, and the Chippawa Boat Launch, Niagara Falls Exchange GO station developments)

    Council approved the 2022 proposed parking budget as presented, and directed that Staff report back to Council in the fall of 2022 regarding the results of the student pilot project, as well as the strategic parking plan.

    2022 Parking Budget Presentation
    2022 PARKING BUDGET

  • 2022 Capital Budget Update

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    At the November 16, 2021 Council Meeting, Jonathan Leavens, Acting Director of Finance and James Dowling, Manager of Capital Accounting presented the capital budget. Staff’s approach was different than previous years, seizing the opportunity to lock in low interest debt financing, while finding creative ways to re-prioritize existing project funding to help make up for the shortfall created by the lack of OLG funding for a second year.

    The overall strategy undertaken by staff was to maximize the size of the capital program will minimizing the tax levy impact to the taxpayer (0.09%). The strategy for the capital plan was driven by the requirement to move to an effective asset management plan. The Asset Management Plan will become the core of the Capital Budget moving forward, and the financial strategy component will be an important tool to guide large capital investment decisions in the future.

    The 2022 Capital Budget, including all funding recommendations totaling $80,472,891, was approved as presented at the November 16, 2021 meeting.

    2022 Capital Budget
    Presentation-2022 Capital Budget 11.16.21
    F-2021-56 - 2022 Capital Budget

  • 2022 Budget Roadmap

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    Niagara Falls Chief Administrative Officer Jason Burgess provided a presentation for discussion on the 2022 Budget Road Map. It included an overview of the 2022 Budget process, budget pressures for 2022, the implications of Niagara Falls future growth, and how we can effectively use debt room, tax room and reserves moving forward.

    View the 2022 Budget Road Map presentation.