Budgets

Budget process

Northumberland County goes through a rigorous budgeting and planning process each year. This process involves consideration of programs and services, budgets and key priorities for the coming year.

This annual budget process includes:

  • Direct (June): The County budget process officially begins in June each year, with County Council providing direction on a target base levy (property tax) increase around which staff then structures the following year’s budget for Council review.

  • Develop (July-November): Based on this Council direction, each operating department develops an annual business plan and related budget between July and September, identifying program and service plans and related resource requirements, to be confirmed through the budget process. Departments also contribute to the review and update of the County's long-term plan, ensuring a rolling 10-year financial plan. The Finance Department oversees consolidation of all budget documents throughout the months of October and November.

  • Define (August): While business plans are under development, the County also engages with community members in August to gather feedback and define public priorities for budget investment. Results of this engagement are presented to Council in October ahead of the presentation of the draft budget in December, in order to inform Council deliberations.

  • Deliberate (December): In December, the final draft budget is presented to County Council at Special Meetings of Council for review and deliberation.

  • Determine: Council may vote on the budget in December, or they may provide direction to staff to make further adjustments and deliver an updated version at a future meeting of Council for review, discussion, and determination. 

In addition to the annual budget, the Finance Department annually updates a financial model that looks over a 10-year span at the management of the County's finances. This model looks at the current budget year and provides a 9-year future financial plan for the County, ensuring a rolling 10-year plan that enables the County to plan for large projects and map out program and service delivery over the longer-term.

2022 Budget

For an overview of the 2022 budget, view our 2022 Budget Overview Infographic or the presentation slides from 2022 Budget presentations to County Council (December 8 and 9, 2021).

For a more detailed breakdown of our 2022 budget, view our 2022 Consolidated Budget and Long Term Plan, or department-specific overviews, business plans, issues papers, budgets and long-term plans below:

2022 Department Overviews
2022 Business Plans and Issue Papers
2022 Department Budgets and Long-Term Plans

Budget consultation

Public consultation is a vital part of the Northumberland County's annual process to create an effective municipal budget.

In August 2021, we invited community members to share their thoughts by completing our Budget Simulation Tool. Using this tool, community members could try allocating the proposed 2022 County Budget based on how they would prioritize spending.

This consultation is now closed. Feedback from the consultation was brought forward to the Finance and Audit Committee meeting in October 2021 for County Council consideration in advance of the budget deliberations on December 8 and 9, 2021.

2021 Budget

For an overview of the 2021 budget, view our 2021 Budget Overview Infographic or the presentation slides from 2021 Budget presentations to County Council:

View our 2021 Consolidated Budget and Long Term Plan, or view department-specific overviews, business plans, issues papers, budgets and long-term plans below:

2021 Department Overviews
2021 Business Plans and Issue Papers
2021 Department Budgets and Long-Term Plans
2021 Budget Consultation - Financial Framework Survey

As part of the annual budgeting and planning process, Northumberland County engages with residents to review and confirm long-term financial priorities. These priorities ultimately direct the focus of projects and resources brought forward through the budget. 

In 2020, the County conducted a survey from July 10 to July 31, seeking feedback on key areas of focus for the long-term financial plan. Survey responses were shared in a report to County Council in August 2020. This feedback provided important insight for Council and staff consideration in drafting the 2021 Budget and updating the long-term financial plan.

To receive a digital copy of the Financial Framework Survey Results Council Report, please submit a request using our Document Request form.