North Bay City Council approved a $27.5-million 2025 water and wastewater operating budget during Tuesday's regular meeting, while also shifting the rate structure for the second consecutive year so that billing is based more on usage.
The 2025 budget is up $1.3 million from 2024, a 4.99 per cent rise. For the average North Bay household using 14 to 20 cubic metres of water each month, this amounts a monthly increase of between $3.05 and $5.93. A total of $825,000 in reserves were used to lower the levy increase.
“This year’s budget is about maintaining and improving our water and wastewater systems while continuing to make the way we bill fairer,” says Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield. “By basing more of the charges on usage, we’re giving residents more control over their bills while also promoting responsible water use.
"We delayed the phase-out of the reserve usage by a year, just based on the current increases with significant capital investments this year ... We are also sitting really well at our reserve levels, and so council felt comfortable making dipping into the reserves to make sure that we're keeping that rate affordable for the taxpayers."
A significant portion of the 4.99 per cent increase – about 3.38 percent – is going toward maintaining and upgrading critical infrastructure like water mains and treatment facilities. The rest covers rising operational costs, including higher prices for fuel, utilities, and chemicals, according to a media release from the City of North Bay.
The variable portion depends on how much water is used. The fixed portion of the water bill – based on meter size – stays the same no matter how much water is used.
This year’s shift in the rate structure adjusts the balance between fixed and variable charges, moving from 45 per cent fixed and 55 per cent variable to 40 per cent fixed and 60 percent variable in 2025.
“It’s crucial that our water system runs efficiently, safely, and sustainably,” says Chair of Council’s Infrastructure and Operations Committee, Coun. Lana Mitchell. “This budget allows us to maintain and improve the infrastructure our community relies on every day while ensuring rates remain fair and manageable for residents."