Members of The Blue Mountains council are not happy with Grey Sauble Conservation Authority’s proposed budget increase for 2023.
The increase the town is paying in 2023 is nearly triple that of any of the other eight municipalities that are members of the conservation authority. Although the conservation authority itself has no way to control how the levy is charged back to its member municipalities – provincial legislation sets the rules – the increase the town is seeing didn’t sit well with members of council.
Authority CAO Tim Lanthier was a delegation at council’s meeting on Feb. 13 to go over the authority’s proposed budget for 2023. The conservation authority’s levy charged to its member municipalities is proposed to grow by $82,995 in 2023 – $45,295 for operating and $37,700 for capital to a total of $1,640,625.
Of that total increase, The Blue Mountains is responsible for $31,179 – close to triple the increase of any of the other municipalities that comprise the conservation authority. The increases are as follows: Arran-Elderslie - $2,191, The Blue Mountains - $31,179, Chatsworth - $2,604, Georgian Bluffs - $9,849, Grey Highlands - $6,178, Meaford - $10,581, Owen Sound - $10,048 and South Bruce Peninsula - $10,365.
“Once again, we’re paying more than the lion’s share,” said Coun. Shawn McKinlay after the numbers were presented. “What exactly are we paying for? What are we getting for that? I’m sure the people of this community would like to know what they’re getting.”
McKinlay suggested the authority implement a tracking system to show where the money was being spent to give the municipalities paying the bill a better idea of how its finances are working.
Lanthier explained that the conservation authority sets its budget based on the assessed property values of its member municipalities.
“We don’t make that calculation. It comes from the province,” he said.
The Blue Mountains has 28 per cent of the total assessed value for the authority. When it comes time to vote on the budget, it is a weighted vote with the town getting 28 per cent of the voting strength.
Lanthier noted that the authority has a number of mandatory programs it is required to deliver including flood forecasting and warning, maintenance of flood control structures and a planning department to review development applications. It also manages 28,000 acres of land in the watershed, including a number of popular parks.
“Grey Sauble offers some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities in the province,” he said.
Coun. Gail Ardiel said it is important to recognize the financial impacts of the situation.
“That’s triple what Owen Sound pays,” Ardiel said of the increase for The Blue Mountains. “$31,000 is a big bite. It’s a lot of money. Over the years it’s gone up and up and up. We only have one taxpayer.”
