City's 2022 budget moving to Council for approval with 4.27 per cent increase

As public budget meetings began in earnest earlier this week, Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch hoped "for the lowest levy we can possibly get," when it came to the City of North Bay's combined 2022 operating and capital budget.

See related: Budget 2022: 'We don't have the ability to have a wish list'

The end result is a 2022 budget that includes an overall tax levy of approximately $101.1 million, an overall increase of $4.1 million or 4.27 per cent over 2021. In 2021, the levy increased by 3.38 per cent.

The City uses growth-adjusted figures, so by factoring in real assessment growth of 0.28 per cent, or approximately $268,000, the overall tax levy impact on existing property owners equates to 3.99 per cent. The annual tax bill for individual properties, however, is dependent on assessed value and the tax rate, which will be set by Council at a future date.

"As a council, this is our last budget together. We started off four years ago with goals we wanted to accomplish — mainly Cassellholme, the community centre, and to get the 10-year budget back in line and back to being balanced," Vrebosch said. "The first two years we were hoping to invest in growth and the last two years we were hoping to reap the rewards of the benefits of growth."

Vrebosch observed the pandemic has loomed large over the budget process "but over the last four years, I think that we have done a very good job at managing City finances and trying to provide the services that citizens expect from us."

On the capital side, a preliminary funding plan is included in the budget for both the Cassellholme redevelopment and the eventual construction of the proposed Community and Recreation Centre. Until the issue of the levy is decided for the long-term care project, the community centre will remain on the books but no action will be taken to move it forward until the direction of Cassellholme is determined.

See: Addition of security for downtown parking garage dominates budget talks

Security for the downtown parking garage will be provided through North Bay Police Service patrols. The $42,350 originally earmarked to hire security will be moved into a fund for social issues in the downtown area. These resources will instead be made available to an as yet unfilled position related to putting the Community Safety and Well Being Plan into action on the ground level.

Other notable 2022 budget items include:

• The City of North Bay's share of the levy from partners including the North Bay Police Service, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, and Cassellholme.
• Operational changes associated with the City taking over the Merrick Landfill. 
• The continuation of the property tax hardship program administered by LIPI. 
• A  $20,000 annual agreement with Creative Industries to create a long-term sustainable creative sector micro-granting program for North Bay arts organizations and collectives.
• Continued support of the Growth Community Improvement Plan (GCIP), which allows the municipality to support improvements and redevelopment within defined specific project areas.
• A commitment to offering a one-day mattress drop-off.
• A capital infrastructure investment of one per cent is included in the 2022 budget.
• The use of reserve funding to offset anticipated COVID-19 pandemic shortfalls and cost pressures.

For draft copies, reports, and documents pertaining to the combined 2022 operating and capital budget, click here. For more on the 2022 water and wastewater operating budget, click here.

Thursday, the budget committee also accepted and moved the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board's 2022 budget forward to the council level for approval. DNSSAB had earlier approved and submitted its budget with a 3.84 per cent increase, with the cost of services cited as the reason for the rise in the levy. 

DNSSAB says the approval of the budget will result in continued investment into transitional and affordable housing services to support shelter and programming for people experiencing homelessness. And, it will facilitate its move to the direct delivery of Paramedic Services creating "a more nimble service interconnected with other human service programs will be the focus. The overall system will be more able to adapt quickly to change and community priorities." 

Councillors George Maroosis and Dave Mendicino (who had technical difficulties), were both absent from the vote. Coun. Scott Robertson, also a DNSSAB board member, voted against both the social services and municipal budgets. Robertson has been pushing for more resources to be allocated to address the findings of the Community Well Being and Safety Plan.

Following the vote, Mayor Al McDonald thanked Vrebosch for her work as budget chief.