Our Municipal Budgets

The budget represents the vision of the Municipality. It is a balanced and sustainable financial plan to deliver municipal services efficiently at approved levels, while also planning for the needs of the future.

The budget identifies the resources required to deliver services, while the tax policy identifies how the budget requirement is raised.

Our fiscal year is from January 1 to December 31.

2023 Budget Information

On February 1, Council passed the 2023 Budget, resulting in a 5.64% tax impact. Here's the news release.

Useful Links:

All budget meetings and events will be live-streamed on YourTV Chatham-Kent YouTube Channel and the YourTV Chatham-Kent Facebook page

* denotes meetings that will also be held in person, Council Chambers, Civic Centre

  • January 11 at 6:00 pm *      Opening Night / Presentation of the draft budget
  • January 18 at noon              Public consultation - virtual only via Chatham-Kent's Facebook Live feed
  • January 19 at 7:00 pm         Public consultation - virtual only via Chatham-Kent's Facebook Live feed
  • January 25 at 6:00 pm *      Budget Committee deliberations  *THE JANUARY 25 MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED
  • January 26 at 6:00 pm *      Budget Committee deliberations
  • January 31 at 6:00 pm *      Budget Committee deliberations
  • February 1 at 6:00 pm *      Budget Committee deliberations

Written deputations sent by email to ckfps@chatham-kent.ca by 3:00 pm on any day of deliberations will be provided to the Budget Committee.

In December 2022, Council received the 2023 Budget Primer & Inflation Impacts presentation from the Chief Financial Officer.

In October 2022, a public survey took place and here are the survey responses.

In September 2022, Council received a report from the administration regarding the schedule of the 2023 budget meetings.

In April 2022, Council approved a report from the administration regarding the development of the 2023 budget.

Let's Talk 2023 Budget Project Page

Past Budgets

Budget Policy

Our municipal budget is actually made up of three budgets - an Operating Budget, a Capital Budget and a Lifecycle Budget.

The Operating Budget covers the costs associated with the operation of the municipality, e.g. garbage collection and disposal, social benefits, maintenance, vehicles, salaries, equipment, etc. Council approves the operating budget through a series of Budget Committee meetings at the beginning of each fiscal year.

The Capital Budget covers the capital projects undertaken by the municipality each year, e.g. major asset reconstruction like roads, sewers or new asset development. The five-year plan is reviewed and presented to Council in a separate report, with approval recommended for the current year projects only. 

The Lifecycle Budget covers the annual rehabilitation and renewal of municipal assets and currently does not provide funding requirements for replacement. Further detail is available under the Asset Management Policy. Each category of asset covered under the Asset Management Plan presents a prioritized and recommended annual plan for the utilization of the budget in a separate report to Council after the budget process.

Read the full Budget Policy here.