Here's what would cost you more in Ottawa's draft budget

City of Ottawa staff have tabled a draft budget that wouldadd another $105 to the average property tax bill next year, but that's not the only cost for residents if the budget passes at council.

The draft budget wouldalso raise transit fares anda long list of fees. Permits andlicences would get more expensive. It wouldhike theaverage water bill by 4.3per cent,a difference of $40.91 for the full year.

The cost of many recreational and cultural programs wouldgo up by about 2.5 per cent, as wouldrental costs for arange of facilities such as arenas. Fees for marriage licences and death certificates wouldrise two per cent.

Then there are some costs that shoot up more if the budget passessometimes much more. The city says fee increases are in line with the cost of providing services.

Here are some examples:

• The base OC Transpo fare wouldgo up 2.5 per cent, bringing a single ridefrom $3.70 to $3.80 by card. Paying with cash still would cost a nickel more. Some transit costs wouldrise more: the price of aone-day pass would shoot up 4.4 per cent, reaching $11.75.
• Garbage user feeswouldincrease 11.5 per cent for a single family householdfrom $130 to $145. Tipping fees for the landfill wouldgo up 9.2 per cent for loads under 250 kilograms.
• Maximum on-street parking rates wouldgo up 12.5 per cent from $4 to $4.50. Staff can varyspecific rates, but council sets the upper limit.
• For city parking garages, hourly maximums wouldrise 8.3 per cent from $6 to $6.50, while the daily limit wouldbe set at $25, an increase of 4.2 per cent.
• The cost of putting an outdoor patio on the city roadway or sidewalk wouldmore than doublefrom $7.54 per square metreto $15.27 per square metre.
• The cost of spaying or neutering cats and dogs wouldrise by about fiveper cent at the city-runclinic. The price for a small female dog, for example, wouldrise from $356 to $374.
• Fees to dump snow at city facilities wouldgo up 15 per cent, reaching $272.80 for semi-sized vehicles.
• The city's hotel tax wouldrise from four per cent to five per cent.
• Planning applications wouldcost17 per cent morein most cases, reaching as high as $114,645 for the largest subdivisions. Legal fees for planning would go up even more.
• The cost of a permit to cut down a distinctive tree wouldrise 7.4 per cent where no development is taking place, reaching $174. With development, the pricerises by 27 per cent.
• The road cut permit fee wouldrise 7.6 per cent to $296 per street segment.

There are a few key fees that wouldremain unchanged: the late declaration fee for the vacant unit tax and the OC Transpo EquiPassfor lower-income people, for example.

What does it pay for?

All told, the city budget looks to spend $4.6 billion on operations and wouldhave to raise more revenue to pay for it.

Taxes wouldadd $85 million. Most of that comes from the 2.5 per cent property tax hike, though roughly $34 millionof that figure comes from the addition of new properties whose owners will paytaxes for the first time.

Operating fundingpays staff and provides services. Some departments will see more money than others.

Here are some of the biggest year-to-year boosts in dollars:

• Transit: $19.2 million.
• Ottawa Police Service: $13.4 million.
• Road services: $8.2 million.
• Fire services: $6.8 million.
• Paramedics: $4.8 million.

The plan is to hire 28 more paramedics and 12 more fire staff.

All told, the city expects to expand its workforce by more than 200 full-time equivalent positions next year, though that's a small share of the current 16,500. Compensation for those employees is by far the largest item in city spending.

The draft budget also devotes $1.24 billion to capital, mostly funded by reserves, debt and development charges.

Here's how much is being spent on some key projects next year:

• Zero-emission bus program: $179.7 million.
• Riverside South Recreation Complex: $66.4 million.
• Greenbank Road realignment from Chapman Mills to Barnsdale: $20.2 million.
• Road renewal projects: $98 million.
• New pathways, sidewalks and bike infrastructure: $14 million.
• Electrical upgrades for wastewater treatment centre: $21.7 million.
• New investment in affordable housing: $21.8 million.