2021 Budget Highlights

City Council has approved a budget for 2021 that includes no tax increase for residents and businesses, while also moving several capital projects forward.  The 2021 budget follows three years of successively lower tax increases and is intended to help residents and businesses manage the cost of living. 

Budget 2021 also adds value to the community with projects such as an artificial multi-use field at Four Seasons Park, rejuvenating ball diamonds and several older playgrounds, extending the lifespan of the Ken Nichol Regional Recreation Centre, and replacing aged fleet vehicles and equipment, including a ladder truck for the Beaumont Fire Service.

City administration delivered more than $400,000 worth of internal savings and efficiencies, as detailed in the budget. Among other accomplishments, the 2021 budget will:

• Modernize and streamline how the city operates by supporting opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce red tape;
• Continue to provide residents with valued public services that keep the city moving, such as recreation, fire protection, policing, snow control and garbage collection; and
• Make Beaumont investment-ready with the right plans and people.

Increasing efficiencies in operation

• Transfer of staff to better suited departments or teams
• Addition of a procurement specialist to coordinate and centralize purchasing processes across the organization to better align contracts and receive better value
• Implementation of electronic permitting to support efficient and more robust statistical reporting and streamline workflows
• More effectively reaching residents through the delivery of online programs and services
• Deployment of a fully integrated workflow management system to provide one system of record and improve operational process efficiencies

Protecting and enhancing service levels and infrastructure

• Additional staff to improve customer service at the Beaumont Sport and Recreation Centre 
• Replacement of aged fleet vehicles and equipment, including a ladder truck for Fire Services
• Revitalization of Ken Nichol Regional Recreation Centre to increase longevity of the facility, including new dressing rooms and retrofitting of all light fixtures to LED
• Rejuvenation of Four Seasons and Milieu Park ball diamonds, including replacement of damaged fencing and improving dugout conditions
• Upgrades to playgrounds at Four Seasons, LaPointe, St. Vital, Beauvallon, and Carrousel Parks
• Neighbourhood renewal, including the replacement or repair of damaged sidewalks, curbs and roads
• Construction of an artificial multi-use field at Four Seasons Park and upgrade of three trails to address connectivity gaps in the Beaumont Multi Use Trail Network
• Upgrades to Range Road 241 to improve connection to the Forest Heights and Triomphe neighbourhoods
• Extend lifecycle of the wastewater system

Attracting business and investment to Beaumont 

• Creation of an engaging wayfinding system to promote tourism and recreation activities to visitors and locals
• Refreshing signs with the city’s corporate brand identity
• Strategic investment partnerships between public and private sectors to attract businesses and investment to the city with the goal of increasing the business and non-residential tax base

Click here to see the approved 2021 budget.

Review questions members of Council posed in relation to the Proposed 2021 Budget and Administration’s response to those questions.

Revenue

Utility rates will increase a total of 4.26 per cent, or about $4.63 per month for the typical home, reflecting increased costs from the regional wastewater commission and allocations for replacement of utility infrastructure. There were no changes to franchise fees on electricity or natural gas.

Annual impact on average single-family household ($428,000 assessed value):