2024 Operating Budget Deliberations

At a Special Meeting of Council held on March 5, 2024, Council considered a revised 2024 Operating Budget along with potential cuts Council could consider from discretionary budget items.

After much discussion, Council adopted the 2024 Operating Budget with a 10.33 percent tax levy increase. This is a reduction from 11.34 percent, which was originally considered in January 2024. The overall notional levy increase is $593,300 for 2024.

To get to 10.33 percent, Council made difficult decisions to pause the 2024 Tree Program, reduce the Grounds Maintenance line item by $6,000, and defer two Capital items: East Pier Rehabilitation engineering (until 2025), and Port Burwell/SCC Ball Diamond works (until 2026).

The overall budget includes a $1,000,000 levy for the Guarantorship Loan Transfer Reserve, which will be used in 2025 to pay down the remaining principal left on the HMCS Ojibwa debt, which is up for renewal in March 2025. Council has established elimination of this debt item as their primary priority for this term of Council.