Budget

Each year, Council ratifies the City of St. John's' annual budget and sets the mill rates in December for the upcoming year. The budget outlines the City's projected revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year.

Current Annual Budget

On December 10, 2024, Council approved Budget 2025, which includes no reductions or cuts to programs or services and no increase to mil rates for 2025.

Read the 2025 Budget Book

The 2025 Budget for the City of St. John’s is balanced at $349,151,881, an increase of 1.5% over 2024.

The residential mil rate will remain at 9.1 and the commercial mil rate will remain at 29.5. Water tax will marginally increase by $15 per unit for residential properties and 2.22% for commercial. All revenue from the water tax directly funds the provision of the service.

“Council’s goal for Budget 2025 was to hold the line and ensure that every dollar is spent wisely, maintaining and developing programs and services that our community values,” said Councillor Ron Ellsworth.

Value for Tax Dollar Infographic

Previous Annual Budgets

View our previous annual budgets:

Capital Budget

The City's Capital Out of Revenue program is determined annually and funded primarily from the City's annual operating budget, as well as other sources. This program is different from the City's larger cost-shared capital arrangements with the Federal and Provincial Governments, for which the City borrows its share of the cost.

Capital projects cover a wide range of services including transportation improvements, water and sanitary service upgrades, housing projects, capital grants to community groups, snow clearing equipment, and playground infrastructure.

2025 Capital Budget

On January 21, 2025, City Council voted to approve the capital budget for 2025, totaling $26,860,056.

Capital projects cover a wide range of services including transportation improvements, street/sidewalk repair/rehabilitation, water system projects, housing projects, capital grants to community groups, snow clearing equipment, recreational facilities and playground infrastructure.

The full list of approved capital projects for 2025 can be found in the table below. Highlights include investing:

$7.5M in fleet acquisition
$5.9M in construction and development projects, including the annual grind and patch program to repair city streets; sidewalk, curb and gutter repair; and culvert replacements.
$3.2M to maintain water system infrastructure
$2.6M in snow clearing, traffic calming and other safety initiatives
$2.2M in parks and open spaces projects.
$1.9M in City facilities
$600K in capital grants for community groups
$250K in information technology projects.

2025 Capital Projects	Amount
Fleet Acquisition	$7,469,960
Water Tax Funded Projects	$3,230,000
2025 Canada Community-Building Fund Allocation	$2,496,994
Grind and Patch Asphalt Rehabilitation	$1,800,000
2025 Sidewalk Snow Clearing Enhancements	$1,560,000
George Street Revitalization Design	$750,000
Quidi Vidi Slipway Replacement	$750,000
Conway Glen Park Washroom	$680,000
Sidewalk/Curb/Gutter Repair	$650,000
City Building Repair and Maintenance	$600,000
Airport Heights Drive Culvert Replacement at Virginia River	$500,000
Capital Grants Community Groups	$500,000
Sewer Main Condition Assessment	$500,000
Depot Fleet Garage Cooling	$450,000
Main Road Paved Shoulder Installation (North Side - Doolings Line to Bidgoods)	$450,000
NPH Charter Avenue Repairs	$450,000
Annual Infill Sidewalk Program	$400,000
Annual Traffic Calming Program	$400,000
Large Diameter Culvert Replacement	$400,000
Anna Templeton Centre Building Envelope Upgrade	$300,000
Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program Proposal	$300,000
Rehabilitation of One Duck Pond Bridge at Bowring Park	$255,000
IT Project Capital Budget	$250,000
Annual Intersection Safety Program	$200,000
Bleacher Replacement Program	$200,000
City Hall Front Entrance Security Upgrade	$200,000
Road Safety Improvements	$200,000
Data Collection for Asset Management	$150,000
EV Chargers	$100,000
First Light Collaboration	$100,000
Playground Replacement Program	$100,000
Railway Coastal Museum - Diorama Repair	$100,000
Tech NL Sponsorship	$100,000
Accessible Pedestrian Signal Program	$50,000
Residential Tree Planting Initiative	$25,000
2025 Unallocated Balance (Uncommitted)	$193,102
Grand Total	$26,860,056

2024 Capital Budget

On March 19, 2024, City Council voted to approve the capital budget for 2024, totaling $26,320,629. Capital projects cover a wide range of services including transportation improvements, street/sidewalk repair/rehabilitation, water system projects, housing projects, capital grants to community groups, snow clearing equipment, recreational facilities and playground infrastructure.

The full list of approved capital projects for 2024 can be found in the table below. Highlights include:

Over $5.1M in construction and development projects, including the annual grind and patch program to repair city streets; sidewalk, curb and gutter repair; and culvert replacements.
Investing $3.8M in City facilities and $8.7M on fleet acquisition.
$3.7M in water system projects.
$1.75M for grants, including the Canada Games capital commitment.
$1.73M in park and open spaces projects.
$1.13M in traffic calming and other safety initiatives.
$400K in information technology projects.

2024 Capital Projects	Amount
Fleet Acquisition	$8,658,960
Water Tax Funded Projects	$3,230,000
Mews Replacement (2024 Canada Community-Building Fund Allocation)	$2,496,994
Grind and Patch Asphalt Rehabilitation	$1,800,000
Canada Games Capital Commitment	$1,225,000
Goldstone Steet Widening - Property Acquisition	$750,000
Sidewalk/Curb/Gutter Repair	$650,000
Chafe's Lane Park Washroom	$615,000
City Building Repair and Maintenance	$600,000
Capital Grants Community Groups	$500,000
Property Acquisition - 32 George Street	$500,000
Road Safety Improvements	$500,000
Cornwall Avenue to Craigmillar Avenue Infrastructure Replacement Design	$500,000
Sewer Main Condition Assessment	$500,000
Bowring Park Playground Accessible Surface Replacement	$450,000
Annual Traffic Calming Program	$400,000
Large Diameter Culvert Replacement	$400,000
SJTA Parking Lot Reconstruction - Newtown Road	$381,000
IT Project Capital Budget	$250,000
Depot Fuel System Repairs	$220,000
Bleacher Replacement Program	$200,000
Wetlands Study Phase 2B	$200,000
Goulds Town Hall Roof (Shingle) Replacement	$157,500
SJFRD - Radio System	$150,309
Data Collection for Asset Management	$150,000
Galway Park Phase 1	$137,272
Downtown Garbage Bins	$130,000
Playground Replacement Program	$100,000
City Hall Front Entrance Security Upgrade Design	$100,000
Downtown Safety Coalition	$80,000
Kilbride Community Centre Roof (Shingle) Replacement	$84,000
Shea Heights Community Centre Roof (Shingle) Replacement	$52,500
Accessible Pedestrian Signal Program	$50,000
Quidi Vidi Boathouse - Accessibility Improvements	$40,000
Residential Tree Planting Initiative	$25,000
First Light Collaboration - Parks Improvement	$23,400
Open Space Master Plan	$13,694
Total	$26,320,629

2023 Capital Budget

On February 27, 2023, City Council voted to approve the capital budget for 2023, totaling $17,329,041. Capital projects cover a wide range of services including transportation improvements, water and sanitary service upgrades, housing projects, capital grants to community groups, snow clearing equipment and playground infrastructure.

“The identified projects for 2023 address high priority areas,” explained Councillor Ron Ellsworth, Council Lead for Finance and Administration. “In 2023, $7.6M has been earmarked to purchase new equipment to replace our aging fleet and to support Council’s commitment to improved sidewalk snow clearing. We are also pleased to be meeting our Canada Games capital commitment and to be proceeding with the design of the Kelly’s Brook shared use path.”

In 2023, some key projects include making intersection improvements at Blackhead Road and Linegar Avenue; upgrading the field lighting at the Caribou Complex; and hiring a consultant to perform a review of the mechanical systems at the Paul Reynolds Community Centre.

The full list of approved capital projects for 2023 includes:

Over $4.3M in construction projects, including the annual grind and patch program to repair city streets; sidewalk, curb and gutter repair; sidewalk infill program; and culvert replacements.
$450K in traffic calming and safety initiatives.
$1.25M for grants, including the Canada Games capital commitment.
Investing $1.4M in City facilities and $7.6M on fleet acquisition, sidewalk tractors and survey equipment.
$1.33M in park projects.
$400K in information technology projects.

The City’s Capital out of Revenue program is determined annually and funded primarily from an allocation from the City’s annual operating budget, as well as other sources. This program is different from the City’s larger cost-shared capital arrangements with the Federal and Provincial Governments, for which the City borrows its share of the cost.

2022 Capital Budget

On March 15, 2022, City Council voted to approve the capital budget with some projects funded from the Parks and Open Spaces Reserve totaling, $13,795,655.

“The identified projects for 2022 address high priority and high demand projects,” explained Councillor Ron Ellsworth Council Lead for Finance and Administration. We are also pleased to announce that funds from our Parks and Open Space Reserve will be used to begin construction on a new Pump Track in Quidi Vidi and to complete a conceptual design for a skating surface in Bowring Park.”

The full list of approved capital projects includes:

$2,000,000 for grind and patch to repair city streets.
$1.1M for new sidewalks and the repair of existing ones.
$500,000 for capital grants to community groups.
$4,400,000 has been allocated for much need fleet replacement in 2022.
$750,000 towards our three year, $3M Canada Games capital commitment.

The City continues its commitment to transportation projects, including:

$50,000 for Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS) systems at two intersections.
$200,000 towards the Traffic Calming Program to support ongoing initiatives based on the Traffic Calming Policy priority list.
$100,000 for the Intersection Safety Program, which assesses and prioritizes roadway safety improvements.
$50,000 for Uninterruptable Power Supply at Key Intersections.
$50,000 to provide for coordination of traffic light signals along key corridors.

$2M remains uncommitted for 2022. The Parks and Open Spaces Reserve contained a balance of $1.29M on December 31, 2021. The balance after the 2022 commitments is $842,267.

2021 Capital Budget

On March 18, 2021, St. John's City Council voted to approve the capital budget for 2021 which totals $25,971,851.

“The identified projects for 2021 address high priority areas and ensure we are making every effort to protect the integrity of our infrastructure,” explained Councillor Shawn Skinner, Council Lead for Finance and Administration. “With previously committed items aside, a net of $14.45 million has been identified in available funding for 2021 projects.”

The full list of approved capital projects for 2021 includes:

$2,000,000 for grind and patch.
$700,000 for sidewalk, curb and gutter repair.
$500,000 for capital grants to community groups.
$1,341,938 has been allocated for projects delayed in 2020, including a replacement of the City's website; Phase 2 of the Wetland Study; and decorative lighting for the downtown.
$1.6 M of the Parks Reserve funding for 2021 will be allocated to Phase 1 of the Galway Park project.

2020 Capital Budget

On March 9, 2020, St. John's City Council voted to approve the capital budget for 2021 which totals $24,549,379.

“The identified projects for 2020 address the highest priority areas and ensure we are making every effort to protect the integrity of our infrastructure,” explained Councillor Dave Lane, Council Lead for Finance and Administration. “With previously committed items aside, a net of $10.6 million has been identified in available funding for 2020 projects.”

The full list of approved capital projects for 2020 is available online and includes:

Grind and patch: $1,970,000
Snow removal/dumping and sidewalk snowblowers and plows: $2,306,000
Capital grants to community groups: $800,000
Sidewalk/curb/gutter repair: $650,000
Bike St. John's Master Plan – project: $378,000
Downtown decorative lighting: $292,000

Parks Reserve funding for 2020 will include the city's contribution to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Park at Mundy Pond ($300,000); Bowring Park Observation Decks ($45,000); a McNiven Place to Durness Street trail connection ($100,000); and Victoria Park Revitalization - Phase 3 ($150,000).