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The City of Ottawa’s 2020 budget and a three-per-cent property tax increase are locked in.

Council voted 22-0 in favour of the full budget Wednesday, with several objections to OC Transpo’s operating budget as the transit agency struggles to improve bus service and stabilize the LRT system.

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The city feared going into this budget since the Ontario government earlier this year kept floating ideas about reducing funding for municipal programs, especially in areas of public health, paramedics and child care.

“This budget we thought was going to be more difficult because of the provincial cuts and downloads but a lot of those were reversed and we were able to make changes that would not affect residents in a negative way, so I’m very, very pleased,” Mayor Jim Watson said after the council meeting.

“It’s a good way to end the year.”

The property tax increase will mean $109 more for the average urban homeowner for the year, $77 more for the average residential rural homeowner and $229 more for the average commercial property owner.