2021 Budget

​2021 Budget

On December 14, Town of Newmarket Council approved the 2021 Budget. The total approved 2021 Operating Budget is $137.0 million and the Capital Budget is $37.9 million, with a combined total of $174.9 million.

Newmarket continues to strive to keep the tax rate approximately 10 per cent below the GTA average. Based on an average single-detached home with an assessment value of $700,000, a 465 square metre lot, using 200 cubic metres of water per year, residents will see an increase of $42.86 ($3.57 per month) on their tax bill for 2021. There will be a $49.44 ($4.12 per month) increase on the water and wastewater bill and an increase of $4.21 (35 cents per month) for the stormwater charge.

Highlights from the 2021 Budget include:

• Construction of Newmarket's first outdoor skate park
• A new Central York Fire Services fire station and a new fleet of fire trucks
• Completion of the Mulock Property Master Plan
• Trail and field lighting enhancements and fleet replacement
• Municipal infrastructure and road resurfacing
• Improvements for bridges and culverts
• Traffic safety initiatives
• New park developments
  

Each year the Town of Newmarket undertakes a detailed budget planning process to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community now and in the future. This includes valuable input from the community which helps guide the Strategic priorities of Council. This year, the global pandemic has had a significant impact on our community. The Town is doing everything possible to try to mitigate the financial impacts of COVID-19. This budget balanced the competing priorities of the economic impact of the pandemic with fiscal responsibility in the 2021 budget. Throughout the budget process, the Town was able to realize $800,000 in savings and an additional $200,000 savings from the Administrative and Service Delivery Review (Rev it Up) for a total savings of $1 million.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2021 Budget Survey

The 2021 Budget Survey has now closed and we will be selecting the winner of the $100 gift card from a local Newmarket restaurant shortly in support of our Choose Local campaign. Results from the survey showed that residents wanted the Town to continue to maintain all its service levels, while providing more support for local businesses during the pandemic. As a result of this feedback, Council increased their support by allocating $100,000 to help local businesses – $50,000 more than what was originally proposed.

Newmarket Council also created a contingency fund as recommended in the Town's Fiscal Strategy and through strong support from residents that participated in the budget survey. With the COVID-19 landscape changing daily, it is important that the Town is prepared for emergencies like the pandemic to ensure all service levels can be maintained. Ensuring all services levels being maintained was the number one priority for the majority of residents that participated in 2021 Budget Survey.