The Regional Municipality of York 2018 $3 billion budget, including a $2.2 billion operating budget was approved by York Regional Council. This will allow the delivery of programs and services to York Region residents, businesses and visitors.

Funding for day-to-day operations will ensure the continued excellent quality of life enjoyed by York Region residents and businesses.

New initiatives in 2018

• Launching YTN Telecom Network Inc., a corporation designed to leverage the potential of the Region's fibre network and extend coverage into the Region’s under-served areas
• Increased access to childcare and Regional responsibility for EarlyON Child and Family Centres
• Implementing the Travel Smart Program to provide informed travel options through the use of technology and to improve system reliability

Highlights of the 2018 Operating Budget include

$580 million: Environmental Services

• Providing safe water and wastewater treatment to 1.2 million residents
• Managing more than 387,000 tonnes of solid waste, with a continued focus on reduction, reuse and recycling efforts while maximizing diversion from landfill
• Continuing actions outlined in the Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by Regional operations

$570 million: Community and Health Services

• Hiring 12 new paramedics and four Paramedic Services supervisory and support staff
• Funding and administering over 6,800 social housing units owned and managed by Housing York Inc. and other community housing providers
• Operating long-term care facilities in the Town of Newmarket and the City of Vaughan
• Subsidizing 5,406 child care spaces and providing financial assistance to more than 6,120 households each month
• Implementing pilot programs using paramedics with expanded roles to help reduce emergency department visits by residents, including those living in long-term care

$358 million: York Regional Police

• Providing police services to ensure York Region continues to remain among the safest places to live in Canada
• Providing enhanced police presence, increased patrol supervision, improved response times and more balanced workload
• Hiring 14 new York Regional Police officers and eight civilian staff to address population growth with continued focus on changing demographics within the Region

$348 million: Transportation Services

• Maintaining a safe and efficient road network, including more than 4,200 lane-kilometres of road, 2,000 Regional road intersections, bus rapid transit corridors, bridges, sidewalks and cycling lanes
• Delivering safe, reliable, accessible and convenient transit, including:
  • Approximately 1.2 million hours of transit service
  • Carrying 22.9 million riders and serving 13,220 Mobility Plus clients
• Connecting YRT/Viva services to the TTC’s Line 1 subway with the completion of the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension and three subway stations in York Region

Other Operating Budget Initiatives

• Continuing to streamline York Region’s court services by leveraging digitization and other technology
• Providing funding to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority to support initiatives to protect lakes, rivers and lands within their watersheds

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns, and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents, 51,000 businesses and 600,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices.

Media Contact

Barbara Schnier, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 71237 or Cell: 905-505-5775
Email: barbara.schnier@york.ca