Waterloo Regional Council approved the 2019 operating budget on Tuesday afternoon, which will see property taxes increase by 2.97 per cent.
The average household in the region will see an increase of $59 on their bill this year, with about a third of that going toward the Waterloo Regional Police Service.
The budget increase for the police force will see new officers added to the force for the first time in five years.
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Council is also putting more funding for public transit, seniors’ care and paramedic services.
Regional Councillor Sean Strickland, who serves as chair of the Region’s budget committee, said that the city is taking steps to address the recent shortage of ambulances in the region as the budget allows for two more 12-hour ambulances and 10 paramedics.
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Strickland also said there is money allocated to improve public transit service.
“Transit service changes to expand service in Cambridge and align bus routes with ION, the expansion of the universal bus pass program to include Conestoga College, and advanced traffic signal technology are big ticket items that are necessary to serve our community,” he said in a statement.
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