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Guelph city council approves 2019 capital budget

Guelph city council approved the 2019 capital budget on Wednesday night. Matt Carty / Global News

Guelph city council voted in favour of passing their $87.3-million 2019 capital budget on Wednesday night.

The city said the budget covers projects slated to start or be completed this year and 67 per cent of it will go towards infrastructure renewal.

“Council’s approval of the capital budget reinforces the need to close our infrastructure gap by investing in capital renewal work in 2019, funded through long-term sustainable strategies including the infrastructure levy, said CAO Derrick Thomson.

The infrastructure levy plan is in year three of the city’s 10-year strategy and will see about $2.2 million of funding this year.

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Councillors also received the 2020-2028 capital forecast, which suggests the construction of the south-end community centre will start in 2020 and then the main library in 2021.

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Infrastructure renewal to the FM Woods pumping station, the aqueduct and booster upgrades also span the 10-year plan.

The capital budget was the second of four budget approvals by council.

The 2019 budget discussion will wrap up on March 5 when council will meet for the tax-supported operating budget and the local boards and shared services budget.

The operating budget calls for a 3.93 per cent property-tax increase over last year and comes in at $243 million.

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