The Town of Oakville’s 2015 Annual Report outlines the town’s continued fiscal strength and highlights key achievements in meeting the needs of our community.
“Council is committed to growing Oakville’s economy, keeping our finances healthy and providing high-quality services for our residents,” Mayor Rob Burton said. “The 2015 Annual Report showcases another banner year for the town. Thanks to Council’s vision, the dedication of our staff and continued support from the community, we are working to make sure Oakville remains a great place to live and make a living.”
The town’s external auditors, KPMG, have again provided an unqualified audit opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements. An unqualified, or “clean” audit opinion indicates that the financial statements prepared by the town are a fair presentation of the financial position and financial results for the past year. The financial statements attest to Oakville’s continued solid financial position which allows the town to be well positioned to face future economic and growth challenges.
The annual report also highlights the progress made towards the priorities outlined in the town’s 2015–2018 Strategic Plan.
The Former Hospital Site Project started in late 2015 with a public open house for residents to learn about the town’s five-year plan to create a vibrant, new community centre, park, and potential future housing. Continued consultation with residents and key community partners over the next five years will be critical in our efforts to reinvent the site to meet the needs of Oakville residents.
To support the town’s Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), retail action plans were completed in 2015 for Downtown Oakville and Kerr Village, similar to the work completed for Bronte Village in 2014. The town will continue to support the BIAs in implementing recommendations on governance, marketing, and events to enhance the business environment for these main street districts.
Council approved the five-year transit plan that aims to deliver more frequent service, better GO Train connections, and direct service to the new Oakville hospital. Oakville Transit also introduced “home to hub” bus service, allowing residents in newly developed areas north of Dundas to be picked up at home and dropped off at the Uptown Core terminal.
The town also continued to focus on service delivery improvements through the use of technology, with the launch of new tools like FindOakville, an interactive online mapping tool to help business owners and realtors find available commercial land and buildings; the Oakville mobile app, to keep residents connected - anytime, anywhere; and the web-based app, Active Oakville.
Other highlights from 2015 include the debut of our Summer Cultural Connection and the town’s designation as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. Oakville was also the first Canadian municipality to receive accreditation from the Society of Municipal Arborists for our exceptional forestry programs.
The audited financial statements are presented in accordance with the Canadian Public Sector Accounting Standards, and prescribed policies issued by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The annual report, with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements, presents the financial position of the town and its consolidated entities for the 2015 fiscal year, 2015 achievements, and 2016 key strategic initiatives.
The 2015 Annual Report can be viewed on oakville.ca.