Edmonton starts year with projected $9.9 million surplus

City went over budget on snow removal, but still came out ahead in 2014

Image | City plows hit Edmonton streets Monday morning

Caption: The city went $19.4 million over budget on snow removal in 2014 but still managed a nearly $10 million surplus, according to the preliminary year-end fiscal report. (Lydia Neufeld/CBC News)

Despite massive cost overruns on snow removal and street sweeping, the city appears to have ended 2014 with an extra $9.9 million in the operating budget.
The surplus came from a combination of savings, including $11.6 million for unfilled job vacancies.
The transit department also saved $2.1 million in operating costs because of the delayed Metro LRT line.
The surplus was offset by cost overruns on snow removal. The city went $19.4 million over budget clearing the snow, and $2 million over on spring street cleaning in 2014.
According to the preliminary year end fiscal report, the streets had extra gravel on the road because of the particularly snowy winter, which put extra pressure on the street sweeping budget.
The surplus is slightly higher than last year, when the city ended up with $9.2 million.
All of the money will go into the city's Financial Stabilization Fund, which acts as a rainy-day savings account.
Council also approved withdrawing $8.2 million from that fund to pay for 311, the cornerstone housing program, and expenses from last year which were postponed until 2015.