City Budgets Maintain Services and Look to the Future

RICHMOND HILL – Mayor West’s 2024 Budget was adopted on December 13, 2023 and sets forth a fiscally responsible budget that ensures service levels received by residents continue to be maintained.

The operating budget for Richmond Hill is $212 million and includes a 4.7% tax rate increase to Richmond Hill residents and businesses which is lower than initially forecasted. This increase amounts to $7.94 more per month for the average single detached residential property in the City assessed at $1,146,000.

With funding from the 2024 Operating Budget, Richmond Hill will launch its Strategic Plan 2024-2027 which will define the City’s top priorities and shared vision for the future of the community. The City will also launch the online water billing customer portal and develop an online property tax billing portal, providing residents with self-serve access to their account information. In addition, the Wave Pool is expected to reopen mid-2024.

While property tax rates in Richmond Hill remain some of the lowest in the GTA, the City only keeps approximately 26% of property taxes it collects. More than half of residential property taxes are provided to York Region to deliver a number of essential regional services to residents including police and paramedic services, public health, children’s services and care of regional roads such as Bayview Avenue, Leslie Street and Major Mackenzie Drive. The remainder of taxes are collected for school boards.   

The capital budget of $102 million is the City’s largest investment in infrastructure in a single year. It will help ensure the City continues to build and maintain the infrastructure needed for the growing community, including parks, trails, recreation centres, roads and sidewalks.

The 2024 budget provides a roadmap for taxpayers to see their dollars at work in providing important, every day services and vital infrastructure needed to build the community. For a comprehensive look at the budget, visit RichmondHill.ca/Budget.

Quotes

”This budget is a fiscally-responsible budget given the pressures the City is facing, created with the input of all Members of Council. It reflects our commitment to building our community, a complete community with the amenities and services, provided by our professional staff, that residents have come to value and expect from their City.”    - Mayor David West

“Richmond Hill remains in a good financial position and we will continue to manage resources in a sensible and thoughtful way. The 2024 budgets represent our best effort to keep costs down without reducing our excellent service to residents.   - Joe DiPaola, Budget Chair and Regional and Local Councillor

Quick Facts

• Richmond Hill’s Senior Tax Grant for 2024 is $432. Residents 65 years old or older who own their home should visit RichmondHill.ca/TaxAssistancePrograms to determine if they qualify. The online application form is available at RichmondHill.ca/SeniorTaxGrant. 
• In 2024, Richmond Hill will keep only approximately 26% of residential property taxes, with 52% sent to York Region for regional services and 22% sent to school boards for education funding. Richmond Hill Council controls only the local portion of taxes. 

Additional Links

• RichmondHill.ca/Budget
• RichmondHill.ca/StormwaterRate
• RichmondHill.ca/TaxAssistancePrograms

Backgrounder

Operating Budget

Richmond Hill’s 2024 Operating Budget is $212 million. Only 64% of Richmond Hill’s operating budget is funded by property taxes, with 20% of funding from user fees and fines and the remaining portion from grants and donations, investment income and reserve funds.

The Capital Asset Sustainability Levy, which helps to fund the repair and replacement of aging infrastructure such as roads, parks and buildings, increases by 1.5% in the 2024 budget. The increase is equal to $30.42 on a property valued at $1,146,000 and is separate from the 4.7% property tax rate increase.

The Operating Budget also includes $550,000 for the 16 new firefighters approved in the 2022 budget, the second of five years of phased-in funding, ensuring Fire and Emergency Services have the resources necessary to help keep the community safe. 

Capital Budget

Richmond Hill’s 2024 Capital Budget will invest $102 million in the community. The annual capital budget does not have a direct impact on the property tax rate.

Richmond Hill’s capital planning process is integrated with the City’s enterprise asset management system to ensure the City prioritizes the right projects at the right time for optimal use of available funding and maximum value to taxpayers. The result is a fiscally responsible budget that is balanced with the delivery of the City’s key plans and strategies.

Capital planning includes both growth-related and state-of-good-repair projects. Growth-related projects are investments in new or existing infrastructure that will benefit current and future residents, such as expanding parks. State-of-good-repair projects are investments in existing capital assets to maintain their current function or life span, such as repairs to a pool.

Significant growth-related projects in the 2024 capital budget include the new Richmond Hill David Dunlap Observatory pedestrian and cyclist bridge, four pickleball courts, two multi-use courts and a tennis court, new trails, multi-use paths and sidewalks.

Completion of the state-of-good-repair projects will result in the update of existing tennis courts, soccer fields and playgrounds, as well as 39 km of road. The City will also rehabilitate two stormwater ponds and update the roofs and mechanical systems at various facilities.

Water and Wastewater Budget

Water rates finance the delivery of clean, safe water to households and businesses, including the cost of water, daily testing, watermain maintenance and the staff to perform these functions.

The 2024 Water and Wastewater budget is funded by water billing and does not impact the property tax rate. Water and wastewater rates will increase by 4.0%, effective April 1, 2024. For households with an average water consumption of 300 cubic metres per year, this is equal to an annual increase of $60.72.  

Stormwater Budget

The stormwater fee is paid by residents to help cover the cost to protect the community from flooding, erosion and improve water quality in streams and rivers. Stormwater comes from rain and melted snow that flows into the storm sewers and stormwater ponds across the city. Stormwater management is a citywide service that protects the community and the environment. Richmond Hill’s stormwater management facilities include more than 95 stormwater ponds, 18,000 catch basins, 1,100 culverts/ road crossings and 540 km of storm sewer.

In 2023, the City completed a comprehensive stormwater management rate review, resulting in a new refined rate structure. The 2024 stormwater fee will increase 9.0% for all property types, effective April 1, 2024. On an average sized residential property in Richmond Hill with a billable area of 5,398 square feet, this is equal to an annual increase of $4.91.