At the Special Meeting held on March 8, 2023, the Council of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville approved the 2023 Budget with a 6.87 percent tax rate increase over 2022, which results in a levy of approximately $46.97 million. The approved Budget provides for total expenditures of approximately $113.7 million, with approximately $66.8 million allocated to capital expenditures. The Province-wide property assessment conducted by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) was further postponed by the Government of Ontario and will not take place in 2023. Based on MPAC’s most recent data from 2016, the median residential property, not on water, in Leeds and Grenville is assessed at $215,000. The approved Budget will increase the Counties’ portion of taxes on the average residential property by $55.87. “Counties Council understands the challenges that residents and businesses are facing due to rising costs and inflationary pressures. We appreciate that this is a difficult year for so many. Throughout our budget deliberations, Council endeavoured to strike a careful balance between affordability and enabling important investments in crucial infrastructure and services, including roads, long-term care and paramedic services.”, said Warden Nancy Peckford. “The 2023 Budget is a reflection of Council’s commitment to the provision of frontline services to residents, investment in capital projects, staff resiliency, and responsible asset management and financial planning.” said Counties’ Chief Administrative Officer Ray Callery. He added, “An additional 1% increase to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve was approved as part of the Budget to provide fiscal certainty from unknown inflationary
The approved Budget provides for total expenditures of approximately $113.7 million, with approximately $66.8 million allocated to capital expenditures.
“The 2023 Budget is a reflection of Council’s commitment to the provision of frontline services to residents, investment in capital projects, staff resiliency, and responsible asset management and financial planning.” said Counties’ Chief Administrative Officer Ray Callery. He added, “An additional 1% increase to the Tax Rate Stabilization Reserve was approved as part of the Budget to provide fiscal certainty from unknown inflationary acts, potential tender overages, fuel cost uncertainty and other operational pressures that may arise.”
