2022 Corporate Services budget highlights fiscal prudence

HAMILTON, ON - Today, the City of Hamilton’s Corporate Services Department presented the preliminary tax-funded operating budget to the City’s General Issues Committee. Staff provided a summary of 2021 accomplishments and a look ahead to 2022 and beyond, highlighting a continued commitment to fiscal prudence.

Overall, the Corporate Services Department is requesting a total budget increase of $708,080 or 1.9% from 2021.

Key priorities in the department’s operating budget for 2022 to 2024 include:

• Supporting the 2022 Election implementation
• Enhancing public and stakeholder engagement throughout the budget process
• Responding to legislative changes
• Upgrading IT systems and software
• Continuing to support virtual services, including the use of virtual courts
• Navigating an uncertain insurance market
• Launching the Next Generation 911 Program
• Providing the delivery of property tax information through digital channels

The Corporate Services Department contains several divisions, including the City Clerk’s Office; Customer Service, POA and Financial Integration; Financial Planning Administration and Policy; Financial Services and Taxation; Information Technology and Legal and Risk Management.

The department’s budget presentation also highlighted a number of achievements from 2021:

• Maintaining the City’s AA+ credit rating
• Supporting 665,885 resident calls, emails and in-person visits via the City’s Customer Contact Centre (546-CITY) and municipal service centres, in addition to supporting the Public Health Hotline 
• Continuing to deliver numerous City services virtually due to the pandemic, including resident-facing COVID-19 Dashboards
• Implementing a Procedural By-Law change to allow for ongoing virtual participation for residents
• Introducing a new Vote by Mail option for eligible voters in advance of 2022 Election
• Streamlining and modernizing the POA by transferring intake-court services from the Ministry of the Attorney General to POA Hamilton (as per Bill 177)
• Navigating legislative changes during this pandemic with the support of expert internal legal and risk management support

Council will consider final approval of the City’s overall tax operating budget by late March.