Sudbury councillors look for ways to trim city budget

Sudbury city councillors have nearly completed discussions on the city's 2021 operating budget. And as they've pored through hundreds of pages of the budget document, they've been looking for savings along the way.

The draft budget, as prepared by staff, would see taxes increase by 3.9 per cent. But a number of councillors have expressed the hope to find ways to reduce that increase. 

"In light of the year that we're having with COVID and everything, we're trying to find saving to the taxpayers," said Coun. Mark Signoretti.

Budget deliberations began last week, and continued at a finance committee meeting Thursday evening. During that meeting, councillors approved two amendments that would cut just over $270,000 from the tax levy.

Cost saving measures

Councillors voted to bet on increased recycling revenue in 2021. While revenue from the sale of recyclables has been down since 2018, staff indicated there are signs the market is trending upward. 

During Thursday's meeting, councillors voted in a favour of an amendment, put forward by Coun. Bill Leduc, to budget for an expected increased revenue. By taking that risk, the city is able to cut $200,000 from the tax levy. 

Councillors also voted in favour of an amendment put forward by Coun. Al Sizer, to close three of the city's helipad night landing sites.

Emergency services Chief Joseph Nicholls and deputy paramedic Chief Paul Kadwell explained that the helipads, located in Vermillion Lake, Capreol and Dowling, are rarely used. The helipads in Capreol and Downling are used on average once per year, while the one in Vermillion Lake has not been used since 2016. 

Kadwell said the three helipads are also located near roads, and are all within a 30 minute drive to hospital. 

"Anything greater than that is when air ambulance should be utilized. So what happens in these cases, it's just as quick, if not quicker for land paramedics to continue transporting the patient to the hospital," Kadwell said. 

The motion passed, but not without debate. Councillor Gerry Montpellier was particularly vocally opposed.

"I can't believe we've been reduced to this to save pennies," Montpellier said. 

Some ideas rejected

During Thursday's meeting, several other amendments to save money were considered, though ultimately defeated by council.

Those included a proposal to stop giving out free blue boxes except to new home owners, and scrapping the subsidy for large recycling bins known as Big Blues; reducing the winter control (snow removal) budget; and getting rid of the subsidy for waste collection at special events. 

Budget deliberations will continue next week.