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The Budget directly impacts the residents of the Town of Essex. From road work to snow plows, and splash pads to recreational programming, the municipal budget contributes to a healthy and vibrant community for all.
Through the budget process, Town administration works diligently to meet the needs of the Strategic Plan, while remaining fiscally responsible.
The budget is made up of:
Budget Timeline
Key dates for the 2026 Budget Process:
Budget FAQs
A Municipal Budget is a plan for how dollars are used, invested or earned over a given time period. It's a tool used to summarize all revenue sources (money in) against all expenses (money out) in an organization. It is also used as a policy and planning document that outlines the Town’s priorities. Decisions made as part of budget development help determine funding for the programs and services that maintain resident’s quality of life.
Why does the Town need a budget?
In a Municipality, a budget is a legal requirement under Section 290 of the Municipal Act. This section also stipulates that the annual budget must be funded, no deficit (loss) or surplus (income) can be present, or in other words that the budget must be balanced (revenues = expenses).
How does the Town create the annual budget?
The annual budget is created by consulting various documents and plans that have been approved by council, such as the Strategic Action Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan and the Asset Management Plan to name a few. Additionally, the professional judgement of administration and independent 3rd parties, to determine needs, current economic conditions and trends is also used. Finally, the public has a role in budget creation by providing input through the budget engagement tool where responses are complied, summarized and considered.
When does the annual budget process begin and end?
Generally speaking, the budget process follows the cycle outlined below:
Who is involved in the budget process?
Annually the entire management team, which includes members from every department, work collaboratively to develop the draft budget. The budget goes through three in-depth reviews before the final draft is delivered to Council. Council then gets to review the document, ask questions and propose any changes. In addition to administration and councils' involvement, the public is also consulted through a budget engagement tool.
When you pay your taxes, these funds are broken up and distributed to three different government bodies: the Town of Essex, the County of Essex, and local School Boards. Each government body provides a unique set of programs and services. The distribution of $100 of property taxes for the 2024 budget year between these government bodies is as follows:
County of Essex: 31.17%
School Boards: 8.51%
Town of Essex: 60.32%
Your voice matters. As a valued member of our community, we want to ensure that you have the opportunity to share your thoughts throughout the budget process.
Reports
The financial systems of the Town are audited by an independent auditing firm every year. As a result of this process Audited Financial Statements, which report the financial position and the results of operations, are issued.
The audited financial statements will be posted on this page as soon as they become available.
Contact Us
Town of Essex
33 Talbot Street South
Essex, Ontario,
N8M 1A8
519-776-7336
