Budget and Finance

A brief guide to Owen Sound's annual operating budget, breaking down costs and showing where money is spent on essential services like public safety, roads, and community programs. 
It also explores how the city works to balance providing essential services with keeping taxes and fees affordable. 

With clear explanations and helpful visuals, this guide helps residents understand how financial decisions affect the community and the role residents play in the City's budget.

The City of Owen Sound has implemented a multi-year budget planning process with a five-year outlook on Capital projects.  This road map, built with the guidance of Council and with their Strategic Priorities in mind, provides a longer-term outlook on Capital spending.

Benefits of multi-year capital planning include:
• Alignment of longer-term goals and objectives with funding plans.
• Greater certainty for residents about the future direction of taxes.
• Improved accountability and transparency of the long-term spending plan.
• Flexible allocation of resources over time.
• Improved resource planning for more complex, multi-year Capital projects.
• More efficient use of time and resources as the organization is not in ‘perpetual budget mode'.
• Ability to tender projects earlier and receive more favourable pricing.