How the City spends money

The City’s services are organized into different areas. Each year, these areas present their proposed budget and objectives to the Budget Committee for review and approval.

The 2021 budget is allocated in the following ways:

• 20% – MiWay
• 20% – Financial Transactions
• 13% – Fire and Emergency Services
• 9% – Recreation
• 9% – Roads
• 5% – Parks, Forestry and Environment
• 4% – Business Services
• 3% – Information Technology
• 3% – Library
• 3% – Facilities and Property Management
• 2% – Land Development Services
• 2% – Regulatory Services
• 2% – Culture
• 1.7% – City Manager’s Office
• 1.1% – Infrastructure and Debt Repayment Levy
• 1.1% – Legislative Services
• 0.5% – Mayor and Members of Council

In addition to providing services, the City is responsible for maintaining infrastructure. Infrastructure includes equipment and structures owned by the City and used by everyone.

Infrastructure includes roads, bridges, stormwater drains and sewers, sidewalks, streetlights, traffic signals, community centres, libraries, fire stations, pools, arenas, parks, trails, playground equipment, theatres, buses and bus shelters.

Infrastructure must be maintained in order to avoid excessive future repair costs, put safety first and make sure that Mississauga continues to be a great place to live, play and do business.

In total, the City owns about 60% of the total infrastructure in Mississauga, which is worth about $12.4 billion distributed as follows:

• Roads – $2.9 billion
• Stormwater – $4.5 billion
• Buildings – $1.9 billion
• Bridges – $935 million
• Street and traffic lights – $512 million
• Walking and cycling – $483 million
• Equipment – $340 million
• Parks and open spaces – $362 million
• Transit – $300 million
• Vehicles – $76 million
• Culture – $47 million
• Other – $20 million

How well are we maintaining our infrastructure?

The good news is Mississauga’s infrastructure is in pretty good shape. However, it is taking more money to keep it that way. Here’s how the condition of our roads, bridges and buildings looks:

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• Very good: Infrastructure is in very good condition (typically new or recently repaired)
• Good: Infrastructure is adequate, but show some signs of deterioration which require attention
• Fair: Infrastructure show signs of deterioration and require attention
• Poor: Infrastructure is in poor condition (mostly below standard), with many elements approaching their end of service life
• Very poor: Infrastructure is below standard with many elements deteriorating, reaching the end of their service life and require urgent renewal

Reserves and reserve funds are established by Council to assist with long-term financial stability and financial planning in the City.

Reserves and reserve funds are an important element of the City’s financial plan. By maintaining reserves, the City can accumulate funds for future needs or contingent liabilities, a key element of sound long-term financial planning practices.

Reserves and reserve funds provide stability in times of unexpected shifts in revenues and expenditures, provide funding for one-time expenditure requirements, and minimize fluctuations in taxes caused by cyclical conditions.

Credit-rating agencies consider municipalities with higher reserves to be more advanced in their financial planning.

The City maintains operating and capital reserves and reserve funds. See more details of all reserve activity for the City.