91原创 Township has issued a warning about economic uncertainty with the passing of its 2025 budget.
A statement issued by the Township on Wednesday, Feb. 26, warned the budget was presented "in a time of continued uncertainty in the financial environment."
"While inflation is returning to anticipated rates, interest rates remain relatively high, and the Canadian dollar has declined," said the statement.
"These factors impact the ongoing business of the Township and while there has been improvement, it is still a fiscally challenging environment, which is expected to persist into the five-year plan."
For 2025, the Township budget will mean a 4.5-per-cent increase to property taxes, of which 0.4 per cent is for core municipal services, 2.07 per cent is for RCMP, 1.58 per cent is for fire, 0.33 per cent for bylaws, and 0.92 per cent or infrastructure renewal, the statement estimated.
Mayor Eric Woodward noted local governments like the Township of 91原创 must balance their budgets each year.
"We continue to get things done and expand public safety, while ensuring our property taxes remain among the lowest in the region 鈥� which they are again this year," Woodward said.
"We are finding that critical balance for property taxpayers, while getting big things done, and starting to take a lot better care of the existing, older facilities that we have."
The 2025 budget adds 11 firefighters, two RCMP officers, two bylaw officers, and additional staffing to improve service levels for sidewalk snow and ice control.
Priorities were based on results of a public engagement survey that found the top three most important issues were transportation and streets, crime and policing, and community facilities.
91原创 Township's five-year financial plan bylaw was approved by a 7-1 vote at the Monday, Feb. 24 council meeting. Councillor Kim Richter was the lone vote against.
