How the City budget works

A balanced annual City budget allows the City to pay for necessary programs, services and infrastructure like emergency services, road maintenance, and public transit. It also enables us to save for the future and unexpected events, such as storms, floods and other emergencies, that might lead to costly repairs.

Additionally, the budget allows us to invest in things that improve the quality of life in Mississauga and advance our growth plans. This includes maintaining our parks and outdoor recreational spaces, providing connected transit routes, and building places to play and vibrant communities.

Programs and services

Overall, the budget consists of an operating budget and capital budget. The capital budget allows us to purchase things like buses, while the operating budget allows us to pay for drivers and fuel.

Every year, the City budget funds more than 200 programs and services organized into service areas, including:

  • Culture
  • Facilities and Property Management
  • Fire and Emergency Services
  • Mississauga Library
  • MiWay
  • Parks, Forestry and Environment
  • Recreation
  • Regulatory Services
  • Roads
  • Stormwater

To gain a better understanding of where and how your property taxes are spent and invested, learn how the City spends money.

Budget process and priorities

Every year, we complete a budget process to prepare a business plan and budget. This process helps our City Council make informed decisions on where, when and how your property tax dollars are spent and invested. It also allows Council flexibility to respond to unplanned events like the COVID-19 pandemic while also maintaining a balanced budget.

During the budget process, Council considers the following corporate priorities to guide its decisions:

  • Deliver the right services to set service levels that balance citizen service expectations and fiscal responsibility
  • Implement cost containment strategies to deliver value for money
  • Maintain our infrastructure to ensure our assets are maintained at the level required to sustain our identified level of service and ensure economic success
  • Advance on our strategic vision to ensure Mississauga is a global urban city recognized for its municipal leadership

To better understand how the budget gets funded, learn how the City gets money.