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2023 Proposed Town Budget Now Available for Public Input

Town of Blue Mountains Press Release
Town Hall Update generic

The Town of The Blue Mountains would like to advise residents that the 2023 Proposed Town Budget is now available for public review and input. The proposed budget includes a three-year operating budget, a five-year capital budget, and proposed Fees and Charges. The purpose of the proposed budget is to serve as a starting point for budget discussions with Council and members of the public.

To review the 2023 Proposed Budget, please visit: www.thebluemountains.ca/budget

The budget will be reviewed and deliberated by Council at a series of special budget meetings scheduled for the following dates:

  • Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
  • Thursday, February 2, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Friday, February 3, 2023, at 9:30 a.m.
  • Monday, February 6, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. (if necessary)

The special budget meetings will be conducted in-person and will be live-streamed with a recording posted to the Town website following the meeting. Following review and direction from Council through these meetings, revisions to the budget may be made, and the updated budget will be posted to the Town website on Tuesday, February 14, 2023.

Following the release of the updated budget, the Town will hold a Public Meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The public meeting provides the opportunity for residents to address Council directly or to submit an email or letter that will be read aloud by the Town Clerk.

Following the public meeting, Town Staff will then bring a report to the Committee of the Whole on Monday, March 13, 2023, outlining the public’s comments from the Public Meeting. Following this meeting, any further changes will be incorporated into the 2023 Draft Budget for Council approval, which is expected to occur on Monday, March 27, 2023.

Residents are encouraged to participate and share feedback with Council throughout the budget process. To learn about how to participate at a meeting or how to provide comments, please contact the Town Clerk or visit www.thebluemountains.ca/participate

About the 2023 Proposed Town Budget

The 2023 Proposed Budget aims to deliver the needed services that residents, businesses, and visitors rely on while keeping property taxes and user fees at a level that ensures growth, prosperity, and community investment. A main focus of the 2023 Proposed Budget is to ensure that the Town’s Asset Management Plan is fully funded to allow for long-term financial stability.

The 2023 Proposed Tax Rate increase is 8.28%. This represents an increase of $175 to an approximate total of $2,280 for the Town portion of annual property taxes. These numbers are based on the assessed value of an average home in The Blue Mountains as set by MPAC at  $555,840.

Also included in the budget is a proposed increase in water and wastewater user fees. These fees are paid directly by the users that are connected to Municipal water and wastewater services. For the average home in the Town, the below chart outlines the impact of the Water and Wastewater User-Fee increase.

  2023 Impact
Water (180 m3) $59
Wastewater (180 m3) $40
Total Impact $99

 

The 2023 Proposed Budget also includes a $20M capital budget to support key infrastructure projects throughout the Town. Projects include:

  • Completion of the Thornbury West Road Reconstruction Phase 1B ($5.75M)
  • Peel Street North Reconstruction ($4.9M)
  • Road Maintenance Equipment Replacement ($1.7M)

Completing these projects will help ensure that the services delivered by the Town can continue to be delivered efficiently and effectively without service interruptions.

To learn more about the Town’s annual budget process, including key dates for the 2023 Budget process, please visit: www.thebluemountains.ca/budget

For more information, please contact:

Ruth Prince
Director of Finance
519-599-3131 ext. 228

Town Clerk
519-599-3131 ext. 232

Shawn Everitt
Chief Administrative Officer
519-599-3131 ext. 234