Highlights from Day Two of Peel Region's 2024 Budget Presentations

BRAMPTON, ON (November 29, 2023) - The proposed 2024 Operating and Capital Budgets for Housing Support, Water and Wastewater, Transportation, Paramedics, Seniors Services, Public Health, Community Investment, Waste Management, Early Years and Child Care, Business Services (including capital allocation), Income Support, and Information and Technology were presented to Regional Council on Nov. 23.

Service Budget Highlights

Housing Support

• Increasing supply of community and supportive housing
• Improving access to health services and other supports for the homeless and precariously housed
• Service transformation; a multi-year initiative that involves temporary enhanced emergency/crisis responses, a focus on prevention and increased faster access to housing subsidies and enhanced case management support
• Ensuring the state of good repair of the Peel Living housing stock
• Enhancing tenant relations
• 2024-2027 Housing Support Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Water and Wastewater

• Aligning the capital program with Peel's new official plan
• Developing a Maintenance Master Plan
• Employing a climate change lens on new capital and rehabilitation projects
• Various water main replacements and construction, pumping station rehabilitation and expansions, and expansion of Water Resource Recovery Facilities
• 2024-2027 Water and Wastewater Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Transportation

• Updating the Transportation Master Plan to account for changes in housing targets, plan for growth to 2051
• Investing resources to support the expeditious implementation of higher order transit
• Building growth infrastructure on Mississauga Rd., Mayfield Rd., and Dixie Rd.
• Building and improving active transportation facilities such as sidewalks and multiuse paths
• 2024-2027 Transportation Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Paramedics

• Adding 36 paramedics and three 24/7 ambulances to manage system pressures such as increasing call volumes, offload delay and staffing shortages
• Delivering mental health and wellness initiatives to support the psychological health and safety of the paramedics
• 2024-2027 Paramedic Services Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Seniors Services

• Enhancing the workforce to improve resident care and staff experience
• Phased implementation and compliance with the Fixing Long Term Care Act, 2021 to enhance resident experience and quality of life
• Piloting integrated care and expanding Adult Day Services and Respite Care to support clients and caregivers to age at home
• 2024-2027 Seniors Services Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Public Health

• Expanding public health inspection capacity to respond to the increased number of complaints and inspection requirements of water facilities and food premises
• Increasing tuberculosis program capacity to prevent transmission in the community
• Building capacity to address the health impacts of climate change and reduce risk to Peel residents’ health and well-being
• 2024-2027 Public Health Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Community Investment

• Finding solutions that can mitigate the impacts of poverty
• Coordinating a systems response to increased immigration and refugees
• Advocating for resources and greater coordination for Anti-Human Sex Trafficking supports
• 2024-2027 Community Investment Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Waste Management

• Transitioning of Peel's Blue Box program on Oct. 1, 2024
• Implementing the Organics and Yard Waste Processing Plan
• Implementing a Mixed Waste Processing Pilot
• 2024-2027 Waste Management Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Early Years and Child Care

• Continuing to implement the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan to reduce the cost of child care by 2025
• Expanding by 11,980 child care spaces to underserved communities
• Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion to ensure programs, policies and practices reflect the diverse needs of the community
• 2024-2027 Early Years and Child Care Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Business Services

• Implementing the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion findings from the workforce census
• Ensuring all newly constructed facilities are built to Peel’s Net Zero Emissions Building Retrofit Standard
• Managing changes in legislation impacting the creation of more housing and the dissolution of Peel Region by Jan. 1, 2025
• 2024-2027 Business Services Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Income Support

• Working with the community and other levels of government to improve social assistance programs
• Implementing digital solutions to increase access to supports and services
• 2024-2027 Income Support Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Information and Technology

• Ensuring the protection, integrity, and security of the technology, along with our environment, applications, and data
• Maintaining service continuity throughout the transition period, all the while upholding the security, stability, and integrity of Peel’s platforms and data
• Accelerating the transition to a digital organization to create streamlined digital government services
• 2024-2027 Information and Technology Business Plan and 2024 Budget

Next steps

On Nov. 30, the Regional Council budget meeting will continue with presentations for Regionally Financed External Organizations: Credit Valley Conservation, and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

The Regional Council Budget meeting(s) are open to the public and residents may attend. The meetings will also be live streamed on peelregion.ca.

The proposed 2024 Regional Operating and Capital Budgets is available at peelregion.ca/budget.

Media contact

Genevieve Ricciardella 
Communications Specialist 
Peel Region