Hear that? That’s the sound of your wallet opening a little wider.
City council gave final approval Monday night to a 2.94 per cent property tax increase, along with Barrie’s 2022 operating and capital budget, which sets service levels as well.
On a typical city home assessed at $362,740, this tax level equals an increase of almost $132 — bringing property taxes on that house to $4,612 next year.
“I’ve been asked a number of times in the last 24 hours around the percentage increase, is it reasonable or is it not,” said Mayor Jeff Lehman. “Is it reasonable is always in the eye of the beholder. All of our residents probably have different take… on it. For some it will be reasonable, for others no increase is reasonable.
“But the fact is we are able, as we are every year I believe, to defend our choices and show people what they’re getting for their money," he added.
Lehman noted there are no service cuts in the budget and a tax increase that is less than the inflation rate.
New services include additional bylaw enforcement on property standards and second suites, a new Holly library branch and restored Georgian Theatre funding.
There is a major focus on infrastructure, with Mapleview Drive East and Big Bay Point Road projects. And looking after the shape of city streets.
“It’s the number one thing that’s asked of us… please take better care of what you’ve got,” Lehman said, noting five kilometres of Barrie roads will be replaced entirely in 2022 and 6.3 km will be resurfaced next year.
The 2.94 per cent increase is a blended number, for municipal and education taxes, and includes 0.75 per cent more dedicated infrastructure renewal funding, which is used to replace and renew Barrie’s roads, pipes and buildings, and is worth $2.2 million next year.
“I feel good about where we’ve landed,” said Coun. Ann-Marie Kungl.
There’s plenty of give-and-take in next year’s budget. For example, the city’s insurance costs are increasing by $606,000 next year. But $1.1 million of Safe Restart funding — federal/provincial money to help municipalities pay for pandemic-related costs — was applied right against the tax increase to reduce it.
Also helping offset the property tax increase is estimated assessment growth of $3.6 million next year.
The only fiscal change to the budget Monday night was adding $65,000 for a pilot project with the Business Improvement Association (Downtown BIA) to assist with sidewalk snow clearing during the 2022-23 winter, and that staff report back to council by May 31 to discuss the results.
“Because of the operating hours of the BIA, it would allow for offset hours where they (city staff) can make one pass per snowfall to remove the bulk of snow in the downtown BIA,” said Coun. Robert Thomson.
It would maintain the current bylaw where store owners will still need to maintain their sidewalks during the day, he added.
The budget also includes increases to water and wastewater (sewer) rates next year — 2.4 per cent or $8.75 more for water, an additional 3.03 per cent or $15.61 for sewer, for a typical household that consumes 180 cubic metres of water annually.
So the yearly cost of Barrie’s water and sewer services in 2022, on this typical household, are estimated at $374 and $531 respectively, for a combined cost of $905. This is $24.36 or 2.77 per cent more for both services compared to 2021 levels.
Council set aside $300,000 to reopen Georgian Theatre, located on Georgian College’s Barrie campus. The funding breaks down to $203,329 for operating expenses and $96,671 to allow staff to address unanticipated capital costs associated with reinstating the theatre for performances.
More than 60 events were held annually in Georgian Theatre before the pandemic.
“You can’t have a city of our size without a theatre that allows our local groups to be able to perform and receive audiences from around the region,” Lehman said.
When council decided not to resume the operating agreement with Georgian Theatre in early 2021, more than 2,500 people signed a petition asking that the deal be restored.
The budget includes $58.9 million for Barrie Police Service next year, or a 2.88 per cent increase from 2021.
Barrie resident Michael Speers spoke Monday night, asking council to reallocate 10 per cent of the police budget to fund upstream services — such as mental health remedies, addiction treatment and other social services.
“We must start to transfer taxpayers’ money away from the police,” he said.
“I know you speak for a lot of people in the community,” said Coun. Keenan Aylwin, who voted against the police budget.
But no motion came forward to change police spending.
The 2022 Barrie police budget actually totals almost $59.8 million — minus almost $5.65 million in grants, secondments and recoveries, then plus a transfer of almost $3.9 million to capital reserves, $220,000 for a radio system upgrade and legislative impacts of nearly $3.2 million.
Legislative impacts refer to supporting Ontario’s First Responders Act and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) reserve at just more than $2.8 million, and $371, 371 for the next generation 911 system.
The salaries and benefits portion the 2022 Barrie police operating budget totals $53 million, of which 76 per cent is salaries, 23 per cent is benefits and the last one per cent overtime.
And $529,000 of Safe Restart funding was used to offset increased expenses and decreased revenue for Barrie police in 2021 related to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.
Staffing is one place Barrie police has held the line in 2022. Its staffing plan calls for 123 civilians and 250 officers next year, but the 2022 police budget totals 121 civilians and 245 officers.
Barrie police calls for service are roughly 20 per cent criminal and 80 per cent non-criminal, 60 per cent non-emergency and 40 per cent emergency.
The County of Simcoe provides a number of services to Barrie — such as paramedics, health and emergency services, Ontario Works, children’s services, social housing and long-term care homes.
Barrie’s share of these operating and capital services is projected to be $25.05 next year, an increase of just more than $1.17 million or 4.86 per cent.
Lehman noted there are major pieces in the county budget for affordable housing with city funding.
“We’re contributing to the region’s solution to create more capacity to help people who are experiencing homelessness,” he said.
The library board has determined city funding of $9.2 million is required to maintain adequate and effective library service in 2022; this is $180,639 or 2.03 per cent more than the approved 2021 municipal grant, for a total budget of almost $9.96 million next year.
This includes a new Holly branch, which is to open in the spring.
“We’ve added a new library in an area of the city that’s asked for one for many years,” Lehman said.
So far in 2021, 4,100 new members have been added to Barrie Public Library’s more than 35,000 members actively using its downtown and Painswick branches.
Barrie Fire and Emergency Service has a 2022 operating/capital budget of just more than $29.1 million, a net increase of 1.93 per cent or $531,533. Gross expenses have increased by $1.34 million, or 4.84 per cent, but have been partially offset by increased revenues related to the long-term emergency communications contract.
And 96.2 per cent of next year’s Barrie Fire operational budget is salaries and benefits.
Capital expenses including replacing firefighters’ bunker gear, for interior firefighting, for $320,000, the temporary expansion of the fire training facility for $495,000 ($440,000 previously approved), hazmat detection equipment replacement for $80,000, with half of that previously approved, and $20,000 for mobile response technology replacement.
And there’s $35,000 in 2022 to replace Barrie Fire's portable and mobile radio equipment that has reached end-of-life. There’s also $210,000 for the same expense in each of the following three years.
All funding comes from the tax capital reserve.
Coun. Mike McCann’s motion that the chief administrative officer (CAO) provide a presentation to councillors concerning cost saving efficiencies and measures, including specific amounts implemented by city staff in 2020 and 2021, was approved by council.
Also that starting in 2023, an annual list of cost-saving efficiencies and measures be included in the budget binders in a brochure-style format that identifies specific amounts, and be listed by department with the use of subheadings and written in plain language.
And that in addition to the annual reporting, a memo be provided to council coinciding with the CAO’s semi-annual updates to council with status on departmental cost savings and efficiencies.
“I think having 11 of us having eyes and ears open to all these efficiencies… by each department, is only going to make the city stronger,” McCann said. “And I would quite frankly like to be able to measure some of these efficiencies.”
The 2022 tax-supported base operating budget for Barrie’s municipal operations has gross expenditures of $393 million and a net property tax levy requirement of $268 million. One per cent equals about $2.8 million in the 2022 budget.
Next year’s capital budget totals $346 million — including $141 million in previously approved funding, $205 million in new funding requests and $95,000 associated with new investment and service recommendation operating budget requests.
Council’s approval of new projects in the 2022 capital budget would include the funds required in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 to conduct the work, totalling $205 million.
At a special general committee meeting Nov. 20, councillors identified an estimated $252 million in capital spending that could be postponed until after 2031.
Barrie’s total forecasted debt will reach $366 million next year, $397 million in 2023, $427 million in 2024 and $451 million in 2025, then drop to $410 million in 2026.
Barrie’s 2021 property tax increase was 0.92 per cent — 0.67 per cent for city services and service partners (police, libraries and Simcoe County services like social housing and land ambulances) — and 0.25 per cent was for the dedicated infrastructure renewal fund.
