Current budget status
Wrenford approved its 2026 operating and capital budgets in September 2025. The budget is our plan for how we collect and spend public money to keep the city running safely and smoothly. We review it every year to make sure it still matches the needs of our 92,400 residents and supports growth while keeping taxes predictable.
How the budget works
Our budget is split into two main parts:
- Operating budget covers day-to-day services like snow removal, waste collection, transit, fire and ambulance, policing, and parks maintenance. We plan three years ahead and must balance the books each year under the Municipal Act, 2001.
- Capital budget covers major projects and infrastructure like road overlays, facility upgrades, and trail improvements. We look ten years ahead and spread large costs over time through grants, developer contributions, and tax-supported debt. Our debt servicing stays below 10 per cent of operating costs, and we use a 20-year maximum term for long-lasting projects.
Every year, we track our financial health using the Financial Health Scorecard. We also publish quarterly operating variance reports so you can see how actual spending compares to what we planned.
Where your money goes
Most of our operating budget goes to essential services like public safety, water and wastewater, and community services. We also collect utility fees for water, wastewater, stormwater, and waste collection. These fees are set to cover the real cost of running the systems and making upgrades, not to generate profit.
As a general guide, $1.5 million in annual budget changes roughly equals a 1 per cent shift in the average property tax levy. This helps you picture how big budget decisions affect your bill.
Budget documents and history
You can view the full 2026 budget package, including department spending plans, capital project schedules, and user fee changes, in the documents below. Past budgets and service plans are also available for review.
- 2026 Approved Operating Budget
- 2026 Approved Capital Budget
- 2026 Fees and Charges By-law
- 2027–2037 Long Term Financial Plan (coming May 2027)
Get help understanding the budget
We write plain language budget summaries to help you read the numbers without a finance background. If you have questions about your property tax bill, water rates, or how a specific programme is funded, contact the Revenue and Water Billing office or visit the Property Tax and Water & Wastewater pages.
Want to share your priorities? We run a Community Budget Survey each year to collect resident feedback before Council makes final spending decisions. You can also attend a Budget Literacy Workshop at City Hall to learn how to read budget tables and understand tax levies.