The Corporation of the City of Brampton Annual Report 2000 GROW PROSPER & ENJOY A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE OUR CORPORATE VISION Our City Council, staff and volunteers are committed to working together to protect, support and enrich the quality of life for the people who live, work and play in Brampton. In striving to keep this promise, we believe that the employees of the Corporation and the people in our community are our greatest strength. We will uphold our commitment of excellent public services and value to tax payers by putting into practice our fundamental vision that is critical to the future of Brampton’s residents and corporate citizens – diversity, integrity, and accessibility. Table of contents PAGE 2. Message from The Mayor PAGE 4. Message from The City Manager PAGE 6. Welcome to our community PAGE 8. Clean, Green, Healthy and Safe PAGE 10. A prosperous economy PAGE 12. Building on today, planning for tomorrow PAGE 14. All roads lead to Brampton PAGE 16. Efficient, accessible and accountable local Government PAGE 18. An exemplary model of good Government PAGE 21. Auditors’ Report PAGE 22. Consolidated statement of financial position PAGE 23. Consolidated statement of financial activities PAGE 24. Consolidated statement of changes in financial position PAGE 25. Notes to consolidated financial statements PAGE 39. Consolidated schedule of current fund operations PAGE 40. Consolidated schedule of capital fund operations PAGE 41. Consolidated schedule of reserve and reserve funds PAGE 42. Five year review summary 1 MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR With the many accomplishments and milestones reached in 2000 I am positive we have a bright and prosperous future ahead for our community. I’m honoured to be the Mayor of one of Canada’s premier municipalities. More than 260 new businesses relocated or started in Brampton and over 3,600 jobs were created in 2000. Housing permits increased 59% over 1999 with 5,145 units being built for more than 15,000 new residents who now call Brampton home. Our Brampton Economic Development Office received two “Royal Bank Community Economic Development Awards.” A Gold Award was presented for the best Economic Development Office with a population of more than 200,000 and Platinum for the best Economic Development in Canada. Mayor Susan Fennell 2 Brampton’s Works and Transportation Department was recognized as the most efficient and effective Works and Transportation Department in Ontario, 2000. Our Internal Management/Audit Department and our Information Technology Department were also recognized nationally and internationally for innovation and efficiency in municipal management. As we continue to plan ahead, we will build a world-class city with a well-maintained infrastructure, sound financial strategy and a community planned and built to accommodate the needs of our citizens. With our team we have positioned Brampton on the world stage. We will continue to identify the challenges, find affordable solutions and encourage others to join the team as we move Brampton forward to a successful and prosperous future. Susan Fennell Mayor, City of Brampton City of Brampton Council 2000-2003 Back row ( left to right ): Dick Metzak, Bob Callahan, Bill Cowie, Elaine Moore, Grant Gibson, Paul Palleschi, Rhoda Begley, Peter Richards, John Sprovieri, John Hutton Front Row ( left to right ): Gael Miles, Linda Jeffrey, Avtar Aujla, Mayor Susan Fennell, Lorna Bissell, Susan DiMarco, Sandra Hames 3 MESSAGE FROM THE CITY MANAGER Year 2000 will be remembered as a time of great celebration, anticipation and activity in Brampton. As a new millennium dawned, Brampton’s population reached 325,000 people placing the City as the 3rd most populous in the Greater Toronto Area and 13th in Canada. Testament of our success in 2000 was the fact Brampton finished as the 5th most active construction market in Canada. An unprecedented achievement for our City. In real terms, we issued building permits representing a total construction value of $1.1 Billion dollars. We also welcomed our newest corporate citizens, in Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB Body-in-White), Siemens Automation, ACCO Canada, Magna International and Southern Graphics who showed Lorne McCool, City Manager tremendous confidence by investing millions of dollars in their new Brampton operations. Jobs and investment are very important elements of Brampton’s success and the City’s reputation as a business centre for manufacturers and corporate headquarters has never been stronger. In addition, we greeted many new residents who moved to Brampton in 2000. Within this context, I am pleased to present the millennium edition of our Corporate Annual Report 2000. It reflects the many accomplishments and successes of a banner year in Brampton. The theme of this publication reflects Brampton’s prosperity, vitality, diversity, sustainability and efficiency as a local municipal government. In fact, the Four Cornerstones of our strategic plan embraces a high quality of community life, a prosperous and diversified economy, excellence in local government, and an efficient transportation network. Throughout the city, you can see evidence of our strategic plan in action. 4 Our success continues to be rooted in the dedicated staff who deliver the day-to-day services offered by the City of Brampton. City employees consistently deliver excellence to the City’s many customers. Whether our United Way program, initiating new service programs or competing for national and international awards our staff commit a very high level of energy and pride in their work. They deserve a tremendous amount of thanks. The next few years present extraordinary challenges for all municipalities as the complex demands of a growing economy and changing legislation continue to manifest. We intend to achieve our goals through sensible planning, fiscal responsibility, and meeting the expectations of our citizens. Brampton’s reputation as a clean, green, and safe city has evolved over many years because residents, volunteers, businesses, and local government work together to make this the best city it can be. Your active involvement in creating a healthy, dynamic, and progressive community means a brighter future for you, your family, and your business. As the City Manager of this diverse and prosperous community, I am honoured to work alongside such a dedicated team. In 2000, there was a high level of customer satisfaction for Brampton’s municipal services and this trend continues to grow. This is a strong public endorsement. In the upcoming years, I am committed to constantly improving customer satisfaction The Brampton City Hall Clock Tower levels in our City and to get them to the highest plateau possible. As our 150th anniversary approaches in 2003, I take great pride in watching Brampton mature as a modern 21st century City. Lorne McCool City Manager 5 WELCOME TO OUR COMMUNITY SUCCESS IN NUMBERS (2000) 3,109,000 people used parks and recreation facilities 30,000 volunteers removed 120,000 tons of garbage 700 trees planted in neighbourhoods 3,000 seedlings planted in valley lands 170 parks adopted 6 new parks completed 570 sports excellence awards Coca-Cola, Part of Brampton’s Corporate Family Brampton reflects the social, recreational and cultural nuances that are woven into its colourful tapestry of community life. 6 Chinguacousy Park, an oasis in the City More than 325,000 people from all corners of the globe have plant- ed their hopes and dreams in one of Canada’s most respected cities. Private citizens and businesses feel confident in the lifestyle that can be achieved in a city that takes pride in its attractive neighbour- hoods, healthy communities, natural resources, heritage treas- ures, Sports is a big player in Brampton safe neighbourhoods and future opportunities. The people of Brampton can enjoy life to the fullest. The City offers citizens diverse opportunities for social, cultural, and recreational enrichment. Over the past year, more than three million visitors, residents and clients enjoyed our parks and recreation facilities. Brampton remains committed to providing a high quality of life through programs that taxpayers have come to expect, while cost-efficiently managing the demands of an expanding urban population. Recreation services are delivered at a community level with an eye on ensuring, where they apply, user fees are competitively positioned. 7 CLEAN, GREEN, HEALTHY AND SAFE Clean Brampton’s residents, City staff, and members of the business community once again exhibited their strong sense of civic pride in 2000. The Adopt-a-Park Program had another successful year as schools and community groups adopted 170 parks. Brampton’s annual spring and fall community clean-up attracted over 30,000 participants who worked hard to make your city more tidy. The volunteer spirit is alive and well, and an integral part of life in Brampton. Green Brampton is renowned for its wide open spaces, parks, ponds, and creeks. Committed to the preservation of parkland and green space, staff and community groups planted 3,000 seedlings in city valley lands. Six new parks were completed. Seven hundred trees found new roots in various neighbourhoods. As well, Brampton continues to receive much acclaim for excellence in environmental design and stewardship. For example, Peel Village Golf Course is a municipally owned recreation facility, which continues to be certified as an Audubon sanctioned golf course. Few places Brampton’s Downtown Farmers’ Market or programs in Canada achieve such certification! Healthy From the South Fletcher’s Recreation Centre to the popular Chinguacousy Wellness Centre, Brampton emphasizes and encourages its citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The 2000 Citizens Awards Ceremony was held to recognize sports excellence in Brampton – in total 571 awards were presented to Brampton athletes, which included 482 Provincial Gold Medallists, 68 Canadian Title Holders, 5 International Gold Medal Champions, 3 World Title Holders, and 13 Olympians. 8 Safe The Fire and Emergency Services team is dedicated to the safety of Brampton’s citizens.