User Fees Study
The User Fees Study is now available for public viewing and comment. It is a requirement for the City of Belleville to provide an AODA compliant version if requested.
The objective of the User Fees Study was to assess the City’s funding approach for parks, recreation and culture programs and services, including how it should balance taxation-funded subsidization with revenue generated through user fees. The study includes a comprehensive cost and revenue analysis, benchmarking against comparator municipalities, recommended rate increases and a draft User Fees Policy for guiding future decision-making regarding fees.
Before completing the survey below, we encourage you to please review the study.
| Service Area/Fee Example | 2025 Estimated Total Operating Cost | 2025 Proposed User Fee | 2025 Proposed City Cost (collected from taxes) | Projected % of Revenue Recovered From Users | Projected % of Revenue Recovered From Taxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QSWC Registration Programs - Adult Fitness/Programs - hourly rate | $28.75 | $9 | $19.75 | 31% | 69% |
| QSWC Indoor Aquatics - Lane Rentals – hourly rate | $72.50 | $18.25 | $54.25 | 25% | 75% |
| QSWC Arenas - Ice Rentals - Prime Time Adult | $823 | $200.75 | $622.25 | 24% | 76% |
| QSWC Leases/Space Rentals - Floor Rental – Adults - hourly rate | $456.50 | $98.25 | $358.25 | 22% | 78% |
| QSWC Senior's Active Living Centre - Older Adult Yoga Classes - hourly rate | $14.75 | $7.50 | $7.25 | 51% | 49% |
| Outdoor Aquatics - Kinsmen Pool – Whole Pool Rental | $544.25 | $148.75 | $395.50 | 27% | 73% |
| Communtiy Centres - Parkdale Community Centre rental - hourly rate | $61.50 | $46.75 | $14.75 | 76% | 24% |
| Harbours - Meyers Pier - Seasonal Mooring - per foot of boat | $85.75 | $63.75 | $22 | 74% | 26% |
| Archives - Scanning images - per image | $10 | $5.25 | $4.75 | 53% | 48% |
| Glanmore Museum - General Admission | $65 | $8.50 | $56.50 | 13% | 87% |
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* Based on projections outlined in the draft user fee study and subject to change upon adoption of the 2025 Operating Budget. **Except Glanmore and Archives, HST is not included |
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Project Start-up in 2023
About the Project:
The City of Belleville is undertaking a comprehensive user fees study.
Most of the City of Belleville’s parks, recreation and culture user fees have not undergone significant review or changes in recent years. The 2023 review has included an assessment of the City’s existing user fee schedule, potential new user fees and the development of user fee-related policies.
Facilities and associated fees considered in the study included: ice/floor surfaces and event fees, gymnasiums, aquatic facilities, multi-purposed spaces, playing fields, ball diamonds, parks, marina operations, community centres, museum services and more.
The Approach:
Strategy Corp Inc. was contracted to conduct the review which has consisted of three phases.
- Phase 1: Fees Analysis and Stakeholder Engagement - The project team will began by conducting a quantitative analysis of the existing fees and consulting with identified stakeholders. This included development of a stakeholder engagement plan, interview guides for relevant stakeholders and fees analysis findings report.
- Phase 2: User Fee Recommendations Formulation - Informed by the previous findings, the team then developed draft preliminary recommendations for revisions to the fees schedule and phased implementation planning.
- Phase 3: Organizational and Service Delivery Review Finalization - The final stage of the project involves a presentation of the findings to council, followed by a recommended fee schedule and policies for council approval. Strategy Corp Inc. is in the process of completing its draft report for the project team’s review. A final report with recommendations will be presented to Council.
Community Engagement:
We will be engaging stakeholders through a variety of mechanisms including:
- Interviews – Members of the project team have reached out to stakeholders to conduct interviews.
- Online Survey – Closed
Residents are encouraged to stay tuned for future updates.
Additional Information
For more information regarding the City of Belleville User Fees Study, please contact the project team.