East Gwillimbury water rates rise 9%

East Gwillimbury Era
January 21, 2014
By Simon Martin

Your water rates are going up.

East Gwillimbury council finalized its water and wastewater budget for 2014 yesterday.

York Region increased its water rate to the town by 10 per cent in 2014, so the majority of that hike is going to be passed on to you.

Council adopted a staff-recommended 9-per-cent increase.

The increase represents $74 more to the average homeowner in the town.

There will be a 1-per-cent increase in the fixed rate and 8 per cent in the variable rate.

When the motion was initially brought forward in December, some councillors struggled with another increase.

“I can’t support the increase in the fixed rate this year,” councillor Cathy Morton said at the Dec. 16 meeting.

Councillor Tara Roy-DiClemente also disagreed with raising the fixed rate once again, noting the town has been changing how water bills are structured for three years.

A 1-per-cent increase in the fixed rate represents $4 annually for the average resident.

If variable use doesn’t meet a certain level, that rate won’t be able to sustain the system unless the fixed rate increases, town staff said.

The town remains optimistic about its water and wastewater reserves compared to other municipalities in Ontario, but there is still a little bit of catch up to do to meet the province’s targets, treasurer Mark Valcic said.

The town will up its contribution to the reserves to $1.32 million this year.

Last year, it contributed $367,000.