Just as the third week of budget deliberations got underway, suddenly it was over as North Bay City Council supported moving forward from the committee level with a 2025 overall budget that includes an overall tax levy of $113.9 million (up 3.73 per cent over 2024) with an overall increase of $3.3 million or 3 per cent after growth over the 2024 levy of approximately $110.6 million (all figures approximate and rounded).
What does that mean?
If your home is assessed at $300,000, the financial forecast shows your tax bill will go up three times $3.87 per $100,000 of assessment for a monthly increase of $11.61 or $139.32 for the year. This calculation uses the estimated tax rate after growth provided by the Finance Department. Annual tax bills for individual properties are dependent on the assessed value and the tax rate, which will be set by the council at a future date.
In 2024, the levy increased by 3.97 per cent over 2023.
In 2023, the levy increased by 4.61 per cent over 2022.
In 2022, the levy increased by 4.27 per cent over 2021.
The budget process opened with a 5.5 per cent levy increase on the table. The final figures are still being calculated due to decisions made during budget meetings made over parts of three weeks but this version of the 2025 budget will move forward for final approval during a special meeting of council scheduled for March 31 at 6:30 p.m.
See also: Community survey results to help shape 2025 Budget
Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield, who also acts as the budget chief, hopes citizens will see that "We did what we could to bring down the levy increase. Despite the annual increases, contracted salaries, and other pressures out of our control, we were able to find ways to be creative, to look closer at our revenue lines and see which ones are trending over five-year forecasts."
The budget's bottom line was aided by a seemingly unexpected WSIB surplus rebate. Finance announced Monday evening that approximately $1.2 million was set to be transferred through reserves to help offset the tax levy using a $400,000 WSIB rebate for the North Bay Police Service and another $800,000 from a year-end operating surplus.
This brought the 2025 impact of the City of North Bay operating departments down to nearly zero per cent or $1,517, with the service partners accounting for almost all of the 3.73 per cent levy rise or $4,105,706 of $4,107,223.
Service partners account for 48 per cent or $54.9 million of the tax levy, and include DNSSAB, North Bay Police Service, North Bay Public Library, Capitol Centre, Cassellholme, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit and North Bay–Mattawa Conservation Authority.
See: North Bay Police looking for significant budget increase for 2025
The NBPS budget is up 12.8 per cent over 2024, when it rose 6.22 per cent. In 2023, the police budget went up 10.78 per cent.
And: North Bay Police HQ concerns, aging radios impact 2025 budget
During Monday's session, the council agreed to support the Jack Garland Airport with up to $60,000 monthly or up to $720,000 annually from reserves. The City has cited the hundreds of local jobs dependent on the airport as one of the main reasons for the support, as well as signs that Jack Garland has never fully recovered from the impacts of the pandemic. If the funding is necessary in 2026, it will become a budget line and part of the overall levy (with council approval).
See also: Water rate shift accompanies passed water and wastewater budget
Among the service level changes supported and needing council approval of the budget to move forward is moving the POST (Peer Outreach and Security Team) from being paid for through reserves to a permanent budget line ($105,000 in 2025).
Council also added a budget line of $12,500 for each of the next five years, for a total of $62,500, to help the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce fund the RCIP, the federal government's newest immigration pilot.
All members of the council present agreed to move the budget forward. Councillor Tanya Vrebosch was absent from the final budget meeting but told BayToday she would be voting against the budget. On an earlier night, she left the proceedings early, frustrated that her ideas were not being received favourably around the table. The veteran councillor had focused her budget contributions on a plan to revamp the way sod and hydroseeding are used by municipal construction crews; an initiative to offer financial support to businesses affected by vandalism through the City's GCIP; and, a call to make all ice skating free to the public. None were advanced in discussions.
Coun. Mark King was also active in budget talks but was not available on Monday evening.