East Gwillimbury passes budget with 0% increase on property taxes

Newmarkettoday.ca
Dec. 16, 2021

At its Dec. 14 meeting, East Gwillimbury council unanimously approved the 2022 business plan and budget along with a 0 per cent tax increase on existing programs and services and a 1 per cent increase to support operating the Health and Active Living Plaza and additional frontline operations staff.

Council deliberated the budget over two days, Nov. 22 and 24, where staff presented operating and capital budget forecasts, which were driven by council’s mandate for a zero per cent property tax levy increase.

“Council recognizes that COVID-19 continues to have a financial impact on East Gwillimbury residents and businesses,” said Mayor Virginia Hackson. ”That’s why we continue to prioritize the needs of our community and ensure that East Gwillimbury delivers the exceptional services that residents expect, at the lowest cost.”

The operating budget, which is comprised of $28.3 million from property taxes and $4.9 million from development and fees, will continue to support vital town services including waste collection, recreation and library programs, road and sidewalk maintenance, and parks/trail operations.

The approved $22.8 million capital budget includes $3.4 million for the east townline bridge rehabilitation project, $1.2 million for road rehabilitation work, funds for equipment and fleet replacement and building upgrades and funding for modernization initiatives such as a new customer relationship management software to track service requests and provide real-time information to staff and residents.

The capital budget also includes $10 million in funding to advance the Health and Active Living Plaza project. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $67.3 millon over the next four years (2022-25) with the majority of funding coming from development charges and reserves. Council approved a dedicated one per cent tax levy increase to support operating the facility once it is complete, which equates to approximately $20 on the average home.

“I applaud staff for bringing forward a budget and business plan that puts the community first and amplifies a culture of continuous improvement and innovation,” said Mayor Hackson. “The 2022 budget keeps EG at the lowest relative taxes in York Region, maintains service levels, uses technology to improve service delivery and prepares us for the future.”

East Gwillimbury taxes make up approximately 40 per cent of the residential tax bill. The remaining 60 per cent is comprised of York Region and school board taxes. For details about the 2022 Budget, click here.