Owen Sound City Council got a look at the 2022 draft Operating Budget Wednesday.
The draft 2022 Operating Budget is expected to maintain current service levels with a 2.51% increase over 2021.
A media release reports the budget would see residential property taxes increase by $44 per $100,000 of assessment, meaning that the owner of a home assessed at the average of $235,000 would pay an additional $104 per year or $8.60 per month. This assumes a County increase of 2%.
The draft 2022 Operating Budget recommends $32.5 million in funding to support the delivery of a wide range of programs and services, including maintenance of roads and community facilities, fire services and policing, parks and trails, recreation and culture, the Library and Art Gallery, and a host of other important services.
A significant portion of the 2022 operating increase is related to the City’s Transit service, with increased costs anticipated for fuel, contracted service, and winter maintenance at bus stops. However, the cost increases for ongoing service provision excluding transit have been kept under 2%. In addition, the budget recognizes savings on the sale of Billy Bishop Airport.
Residents can find the draft 2022 Operating Budget at www.owensound.ca/2022budget. All budget meetings will be streamed online on the Council and Committee webpage.