Council adopts key dates for 2015 budget process

The City of Ottawa has finalized key dates for the 2015 budget timetable and multi-ward public consultations.

2015 tax-supported budget timetable

The City’s 2015 draft operating and capital budgets will be tabled with City Council at a special meeting on Wednesday, February 4. Council will also receive draft budgets for each Standing Committee as well as Police, Transit, Public Health, Library, Crime Prevention and Committee of Adjustment.

City Council has directed that the 2015 draft budget for all City tax-supported programs be prepared on the basis of a maximum 2 per cent tax increase.

Before Council considers final budget recommendations on Wednesday, March 11, there will be several opportunities for public consultation:

 * 
Mayor Jim Watson will launch an online pre-budget public consultation starting in mid-December, asking residents to provide input via email at
[
 budget2015@ottawa.ca
](mailto:budget2015@ottawa.ca)
and through Twitter by using hash tag #ottbudget.



 * 
Residents will be invited to attend one of four regional public consultations hosted by the City, to learn more about and comment on the proposed budget, dates and locations to be announced.



 * 
All Standing Committees of Council, along with the Transit Commission, Police Services Board, Library Board and Board of Public Health, will hold meetings to consider the 2015 draft budget for their respective areas and listen to public delegations on the budget:



 * 
Environment Committee – Tax-supported – Tuesday, February 17

 * 
Transit Commission – Wednesday, February 18

 * 
Community and Protective Services Committee – Thursday, February 19

 * 
Police Services Board – Monday, February 23

 * 
Planning Committee – Tuesday, February 24

 * 
Finance and Economic Development Committee – Tuesday, March 3

 * 
Transportation Committee – Wednesday, March 4

 * 
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee – Thursday, March 5

 * 
Audit Committee – Date to be announced

 * 
IT Sub-committee – Date to be announced

 * 
Public Health Board – Date to be announced

 * 
Ottawa Public Library – Date to be announced

2015 rate-supported (water and sewer) budget timetable

The Environment Committee will consider the draft budget for the services supported by water and sewer rates during the same time period as the tax-supported budget. The Committee will listen to public delegations and deliberate on both the tax- and rate-supported budgets on Tuesday, February 17. The Environment Committee recommendations on the draft 2015 rate-supported budget would then rise to Council for its consideration on Wednesday, March 11.