Budget forecast calling for 5.36% increase to tax levy in Oshawa

The 2025 City Budget and future forecasts were delivered to Oshawa Council Friday morning, a document that includes $82.5 million in capital projects and a forecasted tax increase of 5.36 per cent.

That tax hike represents $168.86 extra a year for a home assessed at $350,000 and $474.31 for a home assessed at $1 million.

The budget as presented represents a 7.87 per cent increase though the betting is councillors will be able to trim $3.63 million off the total to bring the tax hike to a more reasonable 5.36 per cent.

Council was actually presented with a multi-year budget Friday, resulting a 2025 Operating and Capital budget, a 2026 Operating Forecast and a Nine-year Capital Forecast.

The 2025 budget and accompanying forecasts focus on strategic decision-making, service levels, and long-term financial sustainability strategies like cost mitigation, building reserves, and investing in infrastructure.

The budget also reflects Oshawa’s infrastructure, which is ageing while demand grows for more amenities, resulting in an infrastructure deficit. Recent emergencies throughout the province, like this summer’s flooding in Toronto, are a reminder of the importance of maintaining infrastructure and budgeting for future repairs.

Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter

Some of the bigger ticket items in the budget are $23.68 million for road work (including $12.86 million for work on Conlin Road), $13.78 million for the Rotary Park redevelopment project; $10.66 million for additions to the corporate fleet; $5.1 million for upgrades to Easton Park and Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park; $4.3 million for safety and noise abatement at Oshawa Executive  Airport, $2.3 million for track replacement at the Civic Complex; and $1 million for a new roof at Donevan Recreation Complex.

Two special meetings of council will be held for the public to get more information about the budget, with residents welcome to attend meetings on Friday, November 8 and Friday, November 22, with both meetings scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Public delegations will only be heard at the November 8 meeting.

The deadline to request a virtual delegation on November 8 is Thursday at noon, while the cutoff to submit written correspondence is Thursday at 4 p.m.

The budget is available for public review on the Budget Documents webpage.