Budget 2022 Aims to Achieve Balance

Today, the City of St. John’s approved Budget 2022 which includes targeted investments in key areas and measures to address a projected $13M deficit without any reductions in service.

For 2022, Council has approved a .6 mill increase for residential properties and a .8 mill increase for commercial properties. Despite the change in the mill rate, a large percentage of property owners will see no increase in their taxes or a small increase over taxes in 2021.

Water taxes will increase $5 per unit, from $620 in 2021 to $625 for 2022. This increase is required to fund current water operations, and all revenue from this tax goes directly to providing water service.

Investing in a Strong Municipality

Through the budget engagement process, the public noted that Council should be focused on achieving its strategic priorities and considering the future; building a welcoming and inclusive city for all.

To that end, Council will continue to focus on being a Sustainable City, an Effective City, a City that Moves and a Connected City, and to work aggressively to find ways to operate more efficiently through continuous improvement initiatives. Council is committed to keeping human resources costs under control and to focusing on stability through partnerships with community and government organizations.

In response to public concerns about sidewalk snow clearing, Council has funded a third shift in sidewalk snow clearing. This $510,000 investment will allow for faster completion of the existing sidewalk routes.

Council has also approved an investment to improve the frequency of high demand Metrobus routes. The new ZIP Network service, beginning January 3, 2022, will see increased and consistent frequency throughout the day on key routes.

The Pedestrian Mall has been funded for 2022 as well with an increased focus on Come Home Year 2022.

To access the budget book and read more details about the 2022 budget, check out the city's website.