Lakeshore property owners would pay an average of $20.42 more per month under proposed 2025 budget

Property owners in Lakeshore would see their property tax, water and wastewater rates increase by an average of $20.42 per month under the proposed 2025 municipal budget, which staff will present to council on Tuesday.

The increase in the tax levy amounts to 7.66 per cent or approximately $3.125 million.

Revenue from growth in the tax base is projected to increase by $500,000.

Significant contributors to the levy are wage increases for municipal staff and increases in contributions to funds earmarked for capital projects, according to budget documents released online. 

Major projects on the agenda for 2025 are: 

• Comber water main replacement – phase one: $8 million.

• Rochester water main replacement: $3.7 million.

• Stoney Point Community Park construction: $3.5 million.

• County Road 22 sanitary trunk upgrades: $3.07 million.

• 2025 bridge rehabilitation program: $2.4 million.

• Fire truck replacement: $2.07 million.

• Lifecycle asphalt replacement: $1.9 million.

"Lakeshore is facing significant financial pressures on several fronts," Mayor Tracey Bailey said in a news release. 

"Our water and wastewater systems, for instance, have been underfunded over the past two decades and require investments to protect the environment, keep our drinking water safe and provide sewer systems to meet demand."

One other major contributor to the tax levy was the reversal of $1.95 million in reserve fund and expense reductions that had been made in the 2024 budget to bring down last year's tax levy.

Council is scheduled to start budget deliberations on Jan. 23 at 10:00 a.m.

That meeting will continue the following day if necessary.