Thunder Bay city council prepares to ratify 2024 budget with 5.48 per cent taxy levy

The City of Thunder Bay will ratify its 2024 budget on Monday night after arriving at a tax levy at Wednesday's budget meeting of 5.48 per cent after growth.

The tax levy is the amount the city needs from taxpayers to fund city services and capital infrastructure programs. The city determined that a $231.7 million levy was required for 2024. 

"This is the largest increase to the tax levy that I've experienced," said Coun. Andrew Foulds.

Last year's tax levy came in at 4.4 per cent after growth, thanks to a suite of cuts to staffing and services, and a one-time infusion of funds from a reserve fund.

Police services were the largest expenditure, making up 21 per cent, or about one-fifth, of the city's tax levy.

Foulds said he's disappointed to see the increases in the police budget.

"Last year, we had a large increase. This year, we had another large increase," he said. 

While crime prevention could be a way to save money in the long-term while reducing police workload, he said, it takes time to take effect.

"It's very difficult to measure crime prevention. How do you measure someone not going to jail?" said Foulds. 

Coun. Brian Hamilton said reactionary measures to crime are a necessary part of the puzzle – especially in Thunder Bay.

"Those are dollars well spent," he said. 

"Policing is expensive when you have investigations and when you have homicides and the guns and gangs issues that we have here in the north," said Hamilton.

Part of the reason this year's tax levy is high is because of inflation, which has raised the price of things like personnel services and costs related to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), said Hamilton.

There's also a lot of needed investments being made in upkeep of infrastructure, he said. 

"When you're not adequately funding your infrastructure, it just becomes more and more expensive to maintain down the road," Hamilton said. "Going to the public pool or taking your kids to hockey – all the prices will go up, and sometimes services will be consolidated or reduced." 

Infrastructure upgrades include updating parks, the downtown areas and cruise ship docks, he said. The city is also rebuilding the conservatory and adding an addition to the archives building. These investments are something to celebrate, said Hamilton.

"In two or three years Thunder Bay is going to really look like a grown-up city."