Next year’s budget process to look drastically different than past years

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Stratford city council approved the tentative 2026 budget deliberation schedule, after a special council meeting on Aug. 13.

In past years, departments would put forward operating budgets, capital plans and expansion projects, coalesced by the corporate services department into the draft budget. Over a deliberation period typically in December, January and February, council would go through the budget line by line and make amendments, cuts or additions first at committee level, before ultimately passing the budget and the proposed tax levy change with a final bylaw.

This year, the multi-year budget process will look drastically different now that Stratford has become a “strong mayor” city. Along with a host of other powers, the mayor may now put forward their own budget by Feb. 1.

Department heads will continue to put forward their proposed budgets and plans; however, anything not within Mayor Martin Ritsma’s purview will be removed or will appear as an expansion project.

Crucially, this year no staffing expansions are being proposed and all expansions to be presented to council will be limited to what the mayor will consider.

“After receiving the proposed budget from the mayor, council can amend the proposed budget by passing a resolution within a 30-day review period,” a report on how next year’s budget deliberations will look reads. “The mayor then has 10 days from the end of the council review period to veto any council amendment. To veto a council amendment, the mayor must provide written documentation of the veto and rationale to each member of council and the city clerk on the day of the veto. Within a 15-day period after the mayor’s veto period, council may override the mayor’s veto of a council amendment if two-thirds of all council members vote to override the veto.”

As noted in the report, this year’s budget process has already begun. The city’s treasurer Karmen Kreuger and interim chief administrative officer (CAO) Adam Betteridge will continue to meet with the mayor to ensure that the budget being developed by staff reflects the head of council’s priorities.

A draft budget is expected to be released the week of Oct. 13, with a month-long survey to follow shortly after. The following month, on Nov. 17, the mayor’s 2026 budget is to be presented to council and the public.

On Nov. 27 and Dec. 1, the first two full-day budget meetings are tentatively scheduled. Dec. 2 is the end of the one-day mayoral veto period and Dec. 9 is the end of the seven-day council veto override period.

As approved by council at the meeting on Aug. 13, the amendment period was shortened from 30 days to 15 days, the veto period from 10 days to one day and the council veto override period from 15 days to seven days, in order to ensure that staff can achieve the milestones established in the budget timeline.

Following completion of the amendment, veto and override process, the budget will be deemed adopted.