•  Moving forward with the construction of the South Bowmanville Recreation Complex.
• Improving the interior of the Diane Hamre Recreation Complex, including replacement of the pool deck dehumidifier, pool and deck grouting, gym floor maintenance and pickleball court painting to enhance recreational opportunities for Newcastle residents.
• Installing an accessible ramp between Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre and Waverley Place; and repairing heritage components of Waverley Place.
• Improving the Courtice Community Centre, including constructing a new ice skating rink to open in Fall 2024; installing new equipment, lighting and flooring in the gym; and replacing the boiler.
• Making improvements to the South Courtice Arena, including replacing asphalt multi-sport courts with rubberized court surface, creating additional space for accessible fitness equipment and the addition of a year-round accessible outdoor fitness area.
• Replacing end-of-life vehicles in the Works fleet, and purchasing new vehicles with a priority on electric vehicles, to meet growing service demands while taking steps to mitigate climate change.
• Installing air conditioning in Newcastle Community Hall.
• Upgrading the Computer Aided Dispatch System to support Clarington’s first responders in keeping our communities safe.
• Upgrading park infrastructure to improve safety and accessibility through measures such as making the washrooms at Rotary Park accessible and installing an electronic message board at the park.
• Resurfacing and rehabilitating rural roads.

• Delivering meaningful municipal services to the community, including snow removal, fire services, by-law enforcement, recreation programs, and the ongoing maintenance of roads, sidewalks, trails, parks, sports fields, facilities and more.
• Using technology and process improvement initiatives to modernize and optimize services by undertaking continuous improvement projects across the organization, building on the 47 projects already completed or underway in 2023.
• Enhancing the delivery of emergency and fire services across the community by hiring 20 firefighters in 2025 to place an additional full-time truck into service, and increasing minimum staffing per truck from three to four personnel at Station 1 in 2024, at Station 4 in 2025, and at Station 2 in 2026.
• Providing funding support for a variety of external agencies to deliver programs and services for the community, including The Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, the Firehouse Youth Centre, Community Care Durham, Bowmanville Older Adults, Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre, Newcastle Community Hall and Lakeridge Health Foundation.
• Improving the development approvals process to efficiently support and invest in the creation of housing for the community.
• Developing and beginning implementation of the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan to best meet Clarington’s current and evolving recreational needs.
• Launching the Business Resource and Innovation Centre (BRIC), a small business incubator.
• Ensuring growth is proactively addressed by completing and adopting the new Official Plan and related Secondary Plans.
• Conducting a forestry review and investing in forestry services to improve the tree canopy.
• Developing and beginning implementation of the Active Transportation Master Plan and Wayfinding System Strategy, which will support Clarington's vision for a safe, integrated, and cohesive transportation network for all modes of active travel.
• Investing in the Clarington Public Library, Museum and Archives to connect residents with cultural, literacy, heritage and learning resources.

Clarington’s annual budget increase will be 4.2 per cent, on average, per year from 2024 to 2027. The 4.2 per cent is the annual increase to Clarington’s total municipal budget, not your individual property tax bill. Clarington’s portion of your tax bill is about one-third of the total amount you pay. Clarington’s budget increase will result in a 1.5 per cent increase to your total property tax bill, or $67 more a year for the average home. The Region of Durham, which will also impact your tax bill, has yet to pass its budget.

Compared to other nearby municipalities, Clarington has provided, and continues to provide, similar services at a significantly lower cost to the taxpayers. Clarington now, and historically, has had amongst the lowest property taxes in Durham Region. Clarington is leading the way with a multi-year budget that provides residents stability and predictability over four years.

Clarington has four departments: Public Services, Legislative Services, Planning and Infrastructure Services, and Finance and Technology Services; the departments are overseen by the Chief Administrative Office. Each department prepares a budget for its area of responsibility, based on the past year's spending and forecasting costs for 2024-27. They work to ensure that residents will enjoy either the same level of service, and in some cases, see enhanced services.

The Budget was prepared concurrently with the 2024-27 Clarington Strategic Plan, which outlines the Municipality of Clarington’s priorities for the next four years. The proposed Budget will support how we will implement key action items identified in the Strategic Plan.

The operating budget outlines Clarington's spending plan for the day-to-day cost of the Municipality's programs and services, including fire services, programs, facilities, parks, arenas, road maintenance, staffing, utilities, libraries and much more. It is the equivalent of a household budget for groceries, gas, electricity, and insurance premiums.

In Ontario, municipalities are required by the Municipal Act, 2001 to plan balanced operating budgets—meaning expenses must equal revenues every year and cannot borrow money to fund operating expenses.

The capital budget outlines significant expenditures on the acquisition and replacement of physical assets such as buildings, road repairs, bridges, and vehicles. The operating costs for these assets are included in the operating budget.

In Ontario, municipalities can borrow some funds and run a deficit, within limits, to fund capital projects. For a household, the equivalent would be buying a new car or computer, or building an addition on the house.

Under the Strong Mayors, Building Homes Act, 2022, the Mayor has a duty to propose the Municipality’s budget and present it to Council before February 1. The proposed budget is subject to Council amendments, a Mayoral veto, and a Council override process; each step is subject to a limited number of calendar days. After that has passed, the proposed budget is deemed to have been adopted by Council.

A municipality can choose to prepare a budget covering one to five years. Clarington has prepared a four-year budget. To remain flexible and to adapt with changing needs, the budget will be reevaluated annually by Council.

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is responsible for assessing and classifying more than five million properties in Ontario. Every year, MPAC provides municipalities with an assessment roll to be used for taxation purposes. If you have questions about your assessment, call MPAC at 1-866-296-6722 or visit the MPAC website. For property-specific inquiries, visit the About My Property section to view information on your property, access your property assessment notice, and compare your property to others. If you disagree with your assessment, you can file a Request for Reconsideration (deadlines applicable).