Council is preparing to ask town staff to gather information on non-resident use of public recreation spaces such as the Collingwood Public Library or the Centennial Aquatic Centre, in an effort to better understand how many out-of-towners use the services.
And if it turns out there are many, council is considering asking the home municipalities of those patrons to shoulder some of the costs.
During council’s regular meeting on Jan. 22, councillors voted to refer a motion back to staff asking for the town to collect data on non-resident use of town programs and services.
“We have no concern about being used as a regional hub for many services, but we must ultimately ensure that our taxpayers are not being overburdened with the cost of providing services to non-residents,” said Coun. Deb Doherty.
“This is a mechanism whereby we can get a sense of how much non-residents are using our services right now and implications that may have on future budget planning,” she said.
The information would be used to support Collingwood in seeking further funding supports from neighbouring municipalities and other orders of government.
Coun. Kathy Jeffery said she recalled the town had undertaken such a task before, which was confirmed by the town’s director of parks, recreation and culture Dean Collver.
“It’s quite difficult to get the information,” said Collver. “The system we currently have doesn’t have any way of proving residency.”
“We understand the motion is really about collecting data to inform a position,” he added.
Collver noted he is aware of other municipalities that have non-resident fees for certain programs and services.
“Generally, it’s always seen to be a bit difficult, and hit-or-miss when it comes to success,” he said. “Staff will do our best.”
After being told by staff that the issue hadn’t been accounted for in the town’s 2024 work plan, Jeffery said she wanted to know what items might have to shift in the work plan to include this study before making a decision on how to proceed.
A motion to refer the item back to staff was passed unanimously by councillors. Mayor Yvonne Hamlin was absent from the meeting.
If the motion is passed, staff would also consult with the Collingwood Public Library Board and the Downtown Collingwood BIA to provide input.
