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The following is my breakdown of the 2024 City of Windsor Budget.

This year I did something different, accompanying this blog post is a special episode of Council Conversations where you can hear in 2 minutes or less from City Councillors and community organization leaders share their thoughts on the Budget. You can also hear a few additional thoughts from me at the end of that podcast. Delegation day is Monday Jan 22 and deliberations will occur a week following from my understanding.

Operating Budget

Unless stated the items listed are recommended expenditures or savings for the year.

OW Bus Pass Revenue Loss – Change in Funding Policy (PDF 84) –  $1,062,000

This is an interesting policy change that was is coming from the province. A shift in the Ontario Works program is reducing funding for clients for employment related supports like a bus pass to support searching or getting to employment opportunities.

Interestingly the report states that OW Pass represented approximately 8% of all Transit Windsor revenue. The result is a $1,062,000 funding request to offset this potential loss in revenue. They recognize that some of this loss is assumed as the final provincial funding model is not finalized but in the meantime OW users will shift to using single fares or other bus passes.

I am more curious about the logic of this shift, from the Province. Isn’t this just increasing barriers for people on Ontario Works to finding employment while also potentially forcing them to spend limited resources on a bus pass that was previously provided? I would be curious to hear from our Provincial Representatives on this as it was a change I really wasn’t aware of.

Parks and Facilities Vandalism Budget Funding (PDF 124) – $50,000

The $50,000 increase isn’t that big of a deal but this table was what caught my attention.

I would be curious how many cases of vandalism and the types that make up these increases. Is it just kids up to no good during lockdowns or something more systemic around the homelessness and opioids crisis.

One-Time Funding for Waived Sidewalk Café Fees –– $109,093 & Addition of Temporary Patio Application User Fee –- $2,950 Revenue

Seems that Sidewalk café fees are being waved which is great! The second point of the just under $3,000 of new revenue is interesting to me as the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) changed its rules to only allow temporary permits for seasonal patio expansions requiring the municipality to create a process to do this. A new $220 user fee and $75 planning fee is now going to be administered. What isn’t entirely clear is the AGCO rules applied to temporary patios on private property, it isn’t clear to me if this fee will also impact the Sidewalk Patios which are having their fees waived? Are we waiving one process just to implement another?

Building User Fee Increase by 2.5% – Revenue $150,750

This increase impacts a range of Building services fees, best found by searching the Budget issue # 2024-0165. As the report says this 2.5% fee isn’t significant but last year’s 7% increase was. The fact that building fees will be up 9.5% in 2 years during a housing crisis concern anyone?

Also, the 2.5% seems to be a average as some fees are held flat while other fees up at 253%.

Dog Licenses Exception –-  $0

Izzy will be free of the bureaucratic chain around her neck!

I just don’t know where this was coming from. Whose priority was this? I guess it was costing more to run then revenue it was bringing in but still. They are going to stop licencing dogs which was always voluntary and estimated to only cover about 65% of dogs (over 10,500 licences annually).

The mayor did say on the radio that I would get my money back!

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – $168,953

Looks like the City may finally be moving on the EDI position with a in camera decision for 1 FTE. Given it was supposed to start last summer….

New Service: Route 250 (Rhodes/Twin Oaks/NextStar Industrial) – $313,670

Despite the doom and gloom of the transit fares going up, the battery plant is getting a transit route. This seems to be a brand new route not in the current Master Plan and covers off part of the Central 3 now seems to cover peak service times on Rhodes drive in the master plan. Based on the description a Devonshire mall, to Tecumseh Mall along/south of EC Row route. The route mentions connection to Banwell which would make it a connector to Tecumseh on the east end. Do I think that tons of battery plant workers are going to take the bus, probably not, but I suspect you will see a lot of student interns once the plant is up and running using this route.

Reduce Transit Service to Achieve 5% Budget Reduction – Not Recommended savings of $4,780,873

One of the items that aren’t likely to happen – just like closing library branches or how every year (not this year there is talk of closing pools) this 5% cut would result in a 20% cut in services including the newest additions like the 518X, 418X, enhancements to the 1C and 2. Likely also cutting the proposed route above.

One-Time Maintenance Budget Funding for the Paul Martin Building – $246,200

Didn’t we just sell this building to a developer or do we still own it and the developer is just going to run it and pay rent? This budget line has been in place since the City has taken over the building but the vague question of when will the Library move (5 years), when does this hotel project start, when does the City profit from the sale (if at all) comes to mind.

2024 Transit Windsor Service Plan – Not Recommended $665,153 + $2.7M in capital budget

All in this about $4M of which $660,000 is covered off by expected fares. This plan would see two new buses purchases and staffed allowing redistribution of service and enhancements on the North South corridor routes; better services in Southwood Lakes and Devonshire Heights, improved weekend services and express service expansion connecting St Clair College to HDGH.

The report states that without the Capital portion really the service plan portion is not possible but they didn’t not make a formal capital request for the $2.7M which shows how Transit Windsor feels about this being done.

In Camera Reductions – about $6,673,000 in savings

Although no details are available but as these are in camera most of this are likely reductions of staff across all departments to meet budget reduction goals. If I had to estimate this would likely be 60+ staff cuts across all departments. It is likely most of these don’t occur.

Increase the Arts and Cultural Heritage Funding – $82,000 not recommended.

There have been a number of call to increase the Art and Culture Funding in the City of Windsor over the past new months (November, then a few days ago). I would point out in the issue; the report actually wasn’t updated from a previous year as:

The Census data is available and has been published and talked about on this blog since Feb of 2022. I think this sums it up, administration can’t even be bothered to update basic information to support their non-recommendation shows its priority, and the fact that they put a CMA population number in for the City is also frankly embarrassing.

Fighting this fight at budget is probably a losing battle for artists, it is time to be strategic.

Increase Open Streets Budget – $88,500 not recommended.

I think this is a good thing, we should be expanding open streets and the investment to bring it to different parts of the City would be welcome IMO. Events only occurring in the central core means that parts of the city that could be exposed and experience one of the City’s premier events aren’t. By doing it in their neighbourhood not only does it encourage people from the West end to go East (vice versa) it also creates equity in engagement.

Summer Drop-in Program – $43,000 not recommended.

The reason why this budget item stands out is that it is direct funding for a community program. This is something that Pathway to Potential would have funded in the past. Although currently under review, P2P program funding was for this sort of activity, a community program.

ABC Budget Review

The ABC Budgets are always interesting as the City of Windsor has less control over these organizations as they operate at arms length, or they share funding jurisdictionally with the County often with some sort of Provincial service requirement.

What caught my attention in this section:

• Artcite is getting a 200% budget contribution increase – $10,000. No change in Art Council budget with a $15,000 contribution. Artcite and Art Council both receive the same funding levels from the City if approved.
• ERCA is seeing a cut, this was telegraphed back in December, but it is a little more complex than that. In the overall summary budget at the start of the document (PDF Page 4) it shows ERCA receiving 6.5% reduction, but later in the document it shows a 1.4% increase (PDF Page 25). I am not quite sure what is going on here as the new mandatory vs non-mandatory funding formula and allocation between the various municipalities. Windsor represents 48.73% of the total regional allocation but this amount also confuses things “* City of Windsor approved budget is $1,863,137, ERCA approved budget for the City of Windsor is $1,851,926”. So the city is over allocating to ERCA?
• Handi Transit is requesting a 5.9% increase in the budget. The only transit to see an increase :p
• Status quo for InvestWE which means they are facing an inflationary budget cut barring additional revenue from other sources.
• Seniors program at Life After Fifty not asking for a budget increase despite a 60K deficit and major grants ending in 2024. A lot riding on a few new fundraisers and additional memberships. Shows the fragility of many NFP in Windsor.
• Safety Village also come with a 0% increase. Luckily they just received $1 million from the Zekelman Foundation.
• Windsor Symphony forgot to update their org chart as Shelia Wisdom is still their ED according to budget documents – with a 0% increase.
• WECHC is making the second largest total dollar request:

WECHC 2024 Budget	Total Funding	Net City Cost
2024 Requested	$4,591,689	$2,945,976
2024 Administration Recommended Annualized	$3,299,089	$2,116,658
2025 Administration Recommended One Time	$989,000	$634,531

• There is an additional $450,000 ($272,000 covered by the City) for their Redevelopment team which may hint that there is more new builds on the horizon.
• I will also take onus with one item in this section – the description of funding to WECHC as a “Total Budget Subsidy” whereas every other investment funding request is called “City of Windsor Funding”. Either all investments and funding or we should call Windsor Police a subsidy as they can generate revenue through traffic tickets. 
• Speaking of Windsor Police their subsidy – no wait – funding request is surpassing $100 Million this year ($105,229,000 to be more precise) with a 6.3% budget increase. The most interesting item that is teased in the “Creation of a public order unit” I assume that is to handle various protests as well as keeping aggressive panhandlers from disrupting the core. A full list of activities includes:

2024 Police Initiatives

• Full transition to NG911
• Implementation of WPS hosted NG911 systems foe WFRS
• Expansion of Radio System to provide coverage through LaSalle and Amherstburg
• Replace WPS telephone system
• Creation of the Public Order Unit
• Continued implementation of the Regional Community Safety and Well Being Plan
• Enhanced policing strategy

Capital Budget

I am just going to review in order of they are presented in the Section C document as they are not presented in the same order in the details document as in the Section A summary document.

The table above takes the 2024 projected capital budget from 2023 Approved Budget and compares it to the proposed budget for 2024. Inflation certainly likely plays a role in many of these cost increases but also some grants and other funding has been secured for particular projects. Most of the ABC increase is driven by CHC and Police Services.

I looked back at past budgets to see if there is some variation using Roads an example the number of projects dropped from 42 to 36 but many of those projects were ones that were completed in 2023. I didn’t see see mysterious items appearing or disappearing for funding this year, rather a few new long term items being budgeted in and some small rises in project costs year over year.

In other words the Mayor didn’t go and use his strong mayor powers and put his pet projects at the front of queue.

Placeholder for Community Safety & Downtown Revitalization

Waiting on the results of the Strategy Corp Downtown Revitalization Study, $1 Million has been held (200k this year, 800k next year) to tackle downtown’s challenges. I am surprised it is only expected to cost $1 million to fix the challenges Downtown! Why are we not putting a reasonable placeholder here? I recognize that other expenditures will synergize with these efforts but if we are only committing to $1 million of discretionary dollars for this plan, c’est la vie!

Windsor Police Service – Advanced Analytics and Process Optimization

Windsor police is request $2.3 Million starting in 2026 for Machine Learning Tools and AI to “automate decisions”. It will be interesting to see how this technology adaptation occurs in our local context over the coming years.

Windsor Police Service – Specialized Equipment

A total of $9.8M allocated over the 10 year budget with $2.2M in 2024. Specialized equipment is “Specialized police equipment including items such as personal protective clothing, use of force options, and investigative enhancements.”

I am just curious if they are buying a tank?

New WFRS Administration, Training and Apparatus Complex

Starting in 2029 over $14 million will be spent on a new Fire department HQ. The interesting question is where this is going to go. The answer:

“This project funding is planned to move Headquarters, Fire Prevention, Apparatus and Training to an appropriate location in the annexed area of the City.”

Sandwich South – soon to be new home to Fire HQ and training center. Moving to this area was recommended in the new Fire Master Plan that was approved by council in 2023 and Sandwich South is likely to need a fire station (which I assume would be apart of it as well). Certainly, it will mean the moving of municipal administrative jobs out of the core. Station 1 replacement building is also in the budget for an additional $14M allocated for a new fire hall and demolition of the current building in the late 2020s

Windsor Public Library Materials Acquisitions

The project description reads as follows:

“The development charges component of the Library Board capital program includes a provision of $1.0 million to cover the cost of materials acquisitions over the ten year planning period. This acquisition will assist in servicing areas of Windsor with significant residential growth without expenditures on bricks and mortar. Our materials are popular and in constant demand and new materials are regularly expected by our customers. Within a budget conscious environment, the Windsor Public Library wishes to remain relevant, in particular with respect to Wards 1, 7 & 9 – the wards which have experienced significant residential growth.“

In other words, the fastest growing parts of the City are not going to get library – ever. I am curious if development charge component is appropriate for this sort of acquisitions. Certainly, adding new materials is technically a “growth” activity but traditionally DCs are used for hard infrastructure, not to buy materials for existing infrastructure to hope that they are used in other parts of the city.

South Windsor Library and Community Centre

In contrast to the point above the library isn’t looking to build a new facility in South Windsor, the City is setting aside $500,000 to explore that in 2030. So there is going to be some bridging activity but no near term Library until Sandwich South is up and running.

Lanspeary Super Playground

The first “Super Playground” I have seen reviewing the City of budget. The estimated area of this playground is going to be 2000 square meters or almost half an acre within the 11-acre park. Total funding is $4 Million beginning in 2025. This super playground will also be supported by an additional $1.3 Million in 2027 of general park improvements and $1.25 million in a new pool also in 2025.

A big prize before the 2026 election year!

Parks & Recreation Service and Infrastructure Program

This one seems weird to me, at $895,000 ($395,000 in 2024, $500,000 in 2025) for the following use:

“This funding represents a placeholder for the installation or replacement of significant features in a Park or Recreation Facility.”

The amounts seem specific, yet the exact items to be replaced are not. Parks and Rec probably know what replacement of “significant features” are, yet they don’t say which I find weird.

Cricket Pitch behind Safety Village

$1 million to install a cricket pitch in Ward 8 (behind Safety Village) in 2025. I suspect it will be a highly used amenity in that part of the city.

Electronic Agenda Upgrade

$75,000 for 2024 to replace the existing City of Windsor online agenda tool to one that will be more searchable as well as user friendly and be ADOA compliant. Will be interesting to see how this rolls out!

Ward Funds

$275,000 in 2025, and $1.1 million in 2027. Cynical me, see this investment as bracketing the election year, all for plenty of 2026 announcements for incumbents and then a fresh set of funds for a new council!

Diversity and Inclusion Initiative (Phases 1 and 2)

$30,000 for a consultant to engage the community on Diversity and Inclusion issues. Given the project description takes a page in a half, I feel like this is a small amount of money.

Windsor Works

$6.5 million for Consulting services in 2030 & 2031. I don’t really understand this as the description is to “provide funding to various economic development initiatives”. Isn’t there already a plan and you just have to implement? Why not name the initiatives in the plan unless we are waiting for the next decade to it? Are we pulling this money forward?

Official Plan Review

Coming in 2026 for $625,000 this review will for approval in 2027 this review will:

“As part of this process, the OP will be reviewed through a climate change lens and climate change adaptation and mitigation considerations will be included.”

Which I find interesting.

Transit Windsor Garage

Just over $5.7 million will go into the Gragage-mahal this year to help upgrade the facility to the expanding fleet. Just under another $4.9 million over the coming years. We will have to see how this evolves as new routes and service come online as well as existing delays and challenges.

I think the big question is what sort of incremental growth can occur under the existing infrastructure framework. I don’t know the answer to this question but I feel like we are going to find out.

H4 Housing Hub

I had heard a rumour that land had been secured but then the deal fell through. Over $50M over the next decade to build and operate the hub this a big-ticket item with only $20ish million committed in this next decade. A key part will also be transitional housing with support to give people the best chance to successfully be housed permanently.  The question will be, where is it going, and when will it be built.

E.C Row/Banwell Interchange

Right from the report:

“The cost of the interchange is estimated in the range of $45 million and the balance of the Banwell Road corridor improvement works is estimated in the range of $38 million. There are no funds identified within the 10-year plan for these works.”

$8.4 million are being spent this year and next for early engineering report. Best case scenario it’s probably 2030 before this is done and likely only after the crisis that will be trucks from the battery plant turning right onto EC Row. I also think there is a question and ask for the Town of Tecumseh to pay a fair share as they are planning to develop land South of EC Row as new subdivisions along Banwell and almost all that traffic will then head into Windsor.

Otherwise, I say we put a gate in the overpass and just not let them through 😛

Ojibway Wildlife Crossing

$250K held for 2026 for the Wildlife crossing project. Despite engineering designs being considered we are still 2 years away from any action with no funding allocated. As the goal is to have the Park open by 2025, whether this timing would mean the cost of construction would be transferred to Parks Canada or if the city will still be the primary funder remains to be seen. If there is a choice between a wildlife crossing and say, an overpass for Banwell Road (engineering will be done by then), where should the City put $30 million….

Adie Knox Herman Reimagining Project

Next stage of the Adie Knox project is moving forward with more than $8.5 million being spent this year and totaling than $24 million by 2028.

“No Funding Has Been Identified” or “No Funding Identified” or “Not funded within 10 year plan”

University Avenue/Victoria Avenue redevelopment; Provincial Rd./Division Rd. Corridor Infrastructure Improvements; Howard Avenue Corridor Infrastructure Improvements- S Cameron Boulevard to Herb Gray Parkway; The Riverside Drive Vista Improvement; Parent Ave./McDougall Ave. Storm Sewer (SMP); Jarvis Avenue Reconstruction; Cameron Ave Storm Trunk Sewer (SMP); Prince Rd./Totten St. Storm Sewer Improvements – (SMP); Jefferson Drainage Area (SMP)

What do these titles have in common? They all have the quoted statements above in their project descriptions while being major infrastructure projects where there are significant gaps in funding that are not planned to be addressed between now and 2033. I am sure I am missing a few more but all told this is north of $350 million (if not more once you account for future inflation). Some of these projects are scheduled to see portions completed but having driven down some of these roads, or heard about flooding in some of these areas – can they wait another decade to get repairs/replacements?

The question must be asked is a special levy needed for major infrastructure projects? I know a bump was implemented last year in the Asset Management Levy to tackle local roads but that doesn’t cover these major projects, Taking 20 years to finish a artery or sewer reconstruction is not a sustainable process to maintaining our city.

Should the hospital levy after completed, be repurposed to help expedite these projects?

Sidewalk Rehabilitation Program

To pull a direct quote from the description:

It cost $3 Million per year to replace sidewalks at the appropriate rate. Looks at expenditures:

So we are doing about half of what we need. Admittedly some road projects would cover off some sidewalks as part of reconstruction but again, the gap is clear. Some grant funding seemed to be transferred in from OPS-007-20 so some additional projects over the next few years may be accelerated but who knows long term.

User Fees

The average user fee increase was largely driven by inflation (3.3%) rounded to the nearest dollar (or $5) in many cases. Dog license fees are being eliminated and some building fees going up as I outlined above in the Operations budget. To be honest I don’t have much to say about this with one exception.

Transit fees increasing

Obviously the 15% fare increase is not insignificant, yet politically it will be played off at “Oh just 50 cents”. The critical paragraph from the budget report is likely this one:

To take away a few things. The fact that cash fares only make up 15% of overall revenue and the record usage, they are looking to harvest a captive market. One thing I would be interested in seeing is the breakdown of U and C pass programs revenue as part of the overall fare revenue not only because they have had annual inflation escalators when general users have had 2% but we are assuming a lot of demand for service is coming from international students. What if the number of international students gets cut in half?

As mentioned above the lost of the OW transfer is another 8% hit that will like see some portion of that shifted to cash fares. The unintended consequence of this fare increase is that due to the forthcoming OW changes that stopped providing bus passes, this higher fare will be passed on to the lowest income people of our community. Traditionally Pathway to Potential has offered subsidized transit passes to low-income households which from my understanding is still available despite the program being designed.

The rise in fares and passes will mean that the funding for these transit supports will also be exhausted sooner than previously meaning the P2P program will either have a budget short fall or need additional funding when the new strategy is identified in Spring 2024.

A Few Things Missing

If you want to hear about a few things that are missing from this years budget that were in last year’s listen to the Council Conversation Budget Talks Special you can find it here or look up “Council Conversations” wherever you get your favourite podcasts.