Whitewater Region has approved a 3.5% tax levy increase.
A by-law will be brought forward to the January 19th meeting of council to be adopted. Treasurer Sean Crozier told members of council a 1% increase to the levy works out to $60,040. A 3.5% tax levy increase works out to roughly an extra $210,000 to spend on projects next year.
Some of the big ticket items on the budget include 12.05 kilometers of the gravel road program, five major road projects, continued investment in the Community Improvement Plan, gear for the local fire department, an active transportation rest area at Boyer-Laderoute Park in Westmeath and repairs to the Lapasse boat launch.
A 2% increase to water rates and a 4.75% increase to wastewater (sewer) rates was also approved by council. The increase to water rates works out to an extra $1.62 a month for residential and small commercial users. Residential users connected to the municipal wastewater system can expect to see a monthly increase of $5.70. Even with the 4.75% increase to the wastewater rates, monthly charges are still roughly $30 below what is recommended through the rate study.
There’s also a slight increase in curbside collection fees in Whitewater Region for 2022.
The gravel road program will cover:
- Acres (Queens Line to Mineview Road)
- Desjardins Road (Hawthorne Road to Gore Line)
- McLaughlin Road (Sturgeon Mountain Road to Beachburg Road)
- Sturgeon Mountain Road (McLaughlin Road to Zion Line)
- Moores Beach Road (municipally maintained section)
- Sand Point Road
- Timm Road
Major road rehabilitation projects planned for 2022 include:
- Sturgeon Mountain Road (Zion Line to Beachburg Road)
- Pappin Road (Zion Line to Beachburg Road) – double surfaced
- Sidewalks & boulevards in Foresters Falls (in conjunction with County of Renfrew’s road rehabilitation project)
- Zion Line (Hila Road to Beachburg Road) – prepare for double surfacing in 2023
- Cameron Street, Vera Crescent and Earl Street – includes paving, watermain, stormwater, sidewalk, and pathway
The council meeting can be watched online:
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