Budget - Transfers to Organizations for Provision of Services
Highlights
Police Services
In accordance with the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act 2019, the Peterborough Police Service has a separate budget process, which includes submission to, and approval by, the Police Services Board. In accordance with Section 50 of the Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act, 2019:
50 (1) A municipality that maintains a municipal board shall provide the board with sufficient funding to, (a) provide adequate and effective policing in the municipality; and (b) pay the expenses of the board’s operation, other than the remuneration of board members.
50 (2) A municipal board shall submit operating and capital estimates to the municipality that will show, separately, the amounts that will be required to, (a) provide adequate and effective policing in the municipality, including the amounts required to provide the police service with required equipment and facilities, having regard for the various ways that the board can discharge this obligation; and (b) to pay the expenses of the board’s operation, other than the remuneration of board members.
Subsections 4 and 5 of Section 50 stipulate that:
50 (4) Upon reviewing the estimates, the municipality shall establish an overall budget for the municipal board for the purposes described in clauses (1) (a) and (b) and, in doing so, the municipality is not bound to adopt the estimates submitted by the municipal board.
50. (5) In establishing an overall budget for the municipal board, the municipality does not have the authority to approve or disapprove specific items in the estimates.
2026 Request
The Police Services Board 2026 request of $41,506,841 is an increase of 9.8%, or $3,704,600, over 2025. In accordance with the Mayor’s direction for a 10% increase for Police Services to be incorporated in the Draft 2026 Budget for Police Services, the full amount requested by the Police has been included in the Draft 2026 Budget.
Fairhaven
Fairhaven is a municipally funded long-term care home located in the City of Peterborough. The City funds two-thirds of Fairhaven operations and Peterborough County funds one-third.
Operating Support
Fairhaven requested operational funding from the City in the amount of $1,653,216, an increase of $56,716 from the 2025 Budget.
Contribution to Reserve
With the end of the Debt Servicing commitment in 2021, a portion of those funds have been contributed to reserve for Fairhaven future capital needs. At the end of 2024 this reserve has a balance of $54,860.
Fairhaven Capital Funding
Fairhaven has limited revenue sources, and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care does not provide funding for capital projects, equipment, or the building. As part of report CPFS12-062 dated September 4, 2012, Council resolved that beginning with the 2013 Capital Budget, an annual provision would be included in each draft Capital Budget to support Fairhaven’s on-going capital program. Fairhaven staff completed an updated capital plan in 2024. The provision for 2026 is $510,884 (2025 - $473,000). Capital funding will be used to replace outdated equipment for which parts are no longer available, or not in working order and meet MLTC compliance order requirements.
Peterborough County/City Paramedics
The County of Peterborough is the delivery agent for both the City and the County. PCCP provides care, treatment, and transportation to the residents and visitors of Peterborough County, City, and surrounding areas.
The fundamental mission of the Peterborough County/City Paramedics is:
- To be available on a 24-hour basis to respond with optimum speed and efficiency to all emergencies;
- To provide emergency patient care to the public we serve. Emergency patient care includes the stabilization, treatment, and transportation of the acute and critically injured; and
- The transport of patients between health care facilities or to or from residences for admission, discharge and/or treatment.
The City’s portion of the PCCP expenses for 2026 is $7.82 million, a 7.3% increase.
The cost share between the City and the County is based on population as per the 2021 census. The City’s share is 56.64% (2025 – 56.79%).
The budget is a preliminary estimate until the County’s 2026 budget is approved.
Otonabee Region Conservation Authority
Otonabee Region Conservation Authority (ORCA) is a community-based environmental agency that protects, restores, and manages the natural resources within the Otonabee Region watershed. Otonabee Conservation works with its eight member municipalities to create a healthy, environmentally diverse watershed that improves the quality of life for residents, makes our area more appealing to visitors and new business, and helps to ensure a more vibrant regional economy.
The 2026 budgeted contribution is $965,638, which represents a 5.3% increase over the 2025 amount. This includes funds for operating and capital as well as source water protection.
Lakelands Public Health
Lakelands Public Health (LPH) is the new merged organization of the Peterborough Public Health and Board of Health for Haliburton, Kawartha, Northumberland effective January 1, 2025 serves residents throughout the City and County of Peterborough and offers a wide range of programs and services ranging from healthy eating workshops, poverty reduction initiatives, and oral health clinics to controlling infectious disease outbreaks, water safety and sexual health clinic services.
The newly merged health unit has requested a 20.75% increase in funding from the City, which will be partially offset by provincial mitigation funding for a net increase of 5%. The province has approved the one-time mitigation funding as a result of the merger. The total levy for public health is $2,308,785 (an increase of $396,746) with a mitigation payment of $301,144 for a net increase of $95,602. This funding request is preliminary until approved by the LPH board.
Peterborough Humane Society
Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) provides animal control services including enforcement of the City's animal control by-law and provincial legislation. PHS also operates the City's Pound and issues dog and cat licences.
In addition to providing services to the City, the PHS is an affiliate member of the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (“OSPCA”), mandated to prevent cruelty to animals, including domestic, livestock/farm, working animals, zoos, and wildlife. The PHS advocates responsible pet ownership through education, in addition to operating a shelter and fundraising activities.
This role is separate and apart from that of the PHS’s contractual arrangements with the City, but it allows the City to benefit from the expertise and training of the OSPCA officers who enforce the City’s by-laws and the highest standards of animal care that are set out in the OSPCA Act. The City pays an all-inclusive price for the services as well as the property taxes at the PHS’s facility. PHS retains Pound fees; destruction and disposal fees; dog and cat license fees and 50% of fine revenue collected.
A City / PHS agreement was approved through Report CLSFS21-045 dated November 16, 2021. The agreement is a five-year agreement for the period ending December 31, 2026.
The draft budget includes funding of $522,482 per the agreement which includes $456,045 of operating funding and $66,437 for property taxes.
Innovation Cluster
The City provides funds to the Innovation Cluster for the City's share of operating requirements.
The Innovation Cluster has been very successful with its numerous programs and resources focused on enabling entrepreneurs to enhance their skills and launch innovative companies that create jobs in the region. 2026 represents the final year of a five-year agreement with the Innovation Cluster. The agreement includes a provision for an annual inflationary increase and expires December 31, 2026. The Draft 2026 Budget includes the funding amount in accordance with the agreement.
Business Improvement Areas
The City has two Business Improvement Areas: The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area and the Village Business Improvement Area. Both were created for the improvement, beautification and maintenance of municipally owned land, buildings, and structures in the area, beyond that provided at the expense of the City, and for the promotion of the area as a business and shopping area.
Section 205 of the Municipal Act, 2001 states the following regarding budgets submitted by Business Improvement Areas:
- A board of management shall prepare a proposed budget for each fiscal year by the date and in the form required by the municipality and shall hold one or more meetings of the members of the improvement area for discussion of the proposed budget.
- A board of management shall submit the budget to council by the date and in the form required by the municipality and the municipality may approve it in whole or in part but may not add expenditures to it.
There is no net impact to the City in approving the Levy submitted on behalf of the BIAs as the amounts levied are raised annually by a special charge upon the rateable properties in each of the business areas.
Through Report CAO17-008 dated September 5, 2017, Council adopted By-law 17-095 being a by-law to implement and update local policies to guide the operation and conduct of existing and new business improvement areas for the benefit of their members and the residents of Peterborough.
2026 Overview
The Peterborough DBIA was designated by the City in 1981. The boundaries are north to Murray Street, west to Bethune Street, south to Dalhousie Street, east to the Hunter Street Bridge. The DBIA represents over 400 businesses in the Downtown core.
The budget submitted by the DBIA reflects a 0% increase over 2025. This budget was approved and ratified by DBIA members at their Annual General Meeting on June 11, 2025.
City Contributions to the DBIA
In addition to collecting the levy from members of the DBIA, the City’s 2026 Operating Budget includes additional amounts that support the activities of the DBIA.
In-kind Services Budget of $27,500 is used to support events by helping to pay for road closures, paid-duty policing, and park rentals.
On February 13, 2017, in response to Report OCS17-003, OMB Appeal – 1400 Crawford Drive, Council approved a settlement agreement pursuant to which DBIA requires the City to pay $150,000 annually to DBIA for a term of 20 years.
Peterborough Police Services budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $47,937,677 |
| Revenues | $6,430,836 |
| Net Requirement | $41,506,841 |
Fairhaven budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $1,703,216 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $1,703,216 |
Peterborough Paramedics budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $7,828,597 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $7,828,597 |
Otonabee Conservation budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $965,638 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $965,638 |
Lakelands Public Health budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $2,007,641 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $2,007,641 |
Peterborough Humane Society budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $522,482 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $522,482 |
Innovation Cluster budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $150,818 |
| Revenues | |
| Net Requirement | $150,818 |
DBIA budget
| Description | 2026 Recommended |
|---|---|
| Expenditures | $539,545 |
| Revenues | $362,045 |
| Net Requirement | $177,500 |
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500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R9
Phone: 705-742-7777
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755
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