Owen Sound Launches "Making Cents of City Spending: A Guide to Owen Sound’s 2025 Operating Budget" to Help Residents Better Understand City Budget

The City of Owen Sound has launched an online, citizen-friendly guide to help residents better understand the City's 2025 Operating Budget.  The "Making Cents of City Spending" guide breaks down complex budget information into easy-to-understand components, highlighting how tax dollars are spent and what services residents receive. The guide can be viewed online at OwenSound.ca/Budget.

Key highlights from the guide include:

• Owen Sound's budget system consists of two main components: an annual Operating Budget for day-to-day services and programs, and a Multi-year Capital plan for long-term infrastructure projects with a five-year outlook.  More Capital-specific projects and breakdowns are available at OwenSound.ca/Budget.
• The City's operating budget is funded through multiple sources:
  • Property taxes (69.2%) 
  • User fees and revenues (21.3%)
  • Government grants (9.5%)
• For every tax dollar paid by residents:
  • 72 cents remains with the City of Owen Sound
  • 20 cents goes to Grey County
  • 8 cents supports Ontario's public education system
• Essential services such as police, fire, and transit account for 44% of the City's tax levy, with remaining funds supporting parks, roads, recreation, and other vital community services

The Guide to Owen Sound’s 2025 Operating Budget helps provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding and being informed of important City functions.  A social media campaign is also working to explain budget components and encourage residents to explore the "Making Cents of City Spending" guide.

Residents can access the complete budget guide at OwenSound.ca/Budget and are encouraged to participate in the upcoming Public Meeting on January 27, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. To stay informed about future updates, residents can subscribe to City news at OwenSound.ca/Subscribe.

For more information, please contact Kate Allan, Director of Corporate Services, at 519-376-4440 ext. 1238 or email kallan@owensound.ca

Quotes:

"The Guide to Owen Sound’s 2025 Operating Budget book is just one way we continue to keep our citizens informed about how we manage their hard-earned tax dollars.  Through the hard work of Council and Staff, we continue to lead Grey County with one of the lowest tax levies at 2.55% in 2025."

- Mayor Ian Boddy

Quick Facts:

• Owen Sound’s total operating expenses for 2025 are $48.5 million, with only 69.2% of those expenses being funded by taxes (tax levy is $36.2 million).
• When combined with the County of Grey, the draft budget’s municipal levy increase is only 2.55% over last year, which works out to just under $10 a month for the average single detached bungalow.

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