Barrie city council has approved a 2020 operating budget of $362 million and a capital budget of $231 million.
Officials say the operating budget will deliver city services that “residents and businesses rely on” and that the capital budget will fix more of Barrie’s roads, pipes, buildings and will prepare for the city’s growth.
“This was an extremely challenging budget year, especially as we prepare for significant growth in the coming years,” Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said in a statement.
“Provincial funding cuts left council with the difficult choice to either reduce key community services or find a way to backfill the provincial funding shortfalls.”
This year, officials say the city of Barrie faced additional financial pressures due to “provincial downloading,” including funding cuts to public health, county-run social services and city policing. The impact of these cuts, city officials say, added $2.3 million to Barrie’s 2020 business plan and budget — or 0.95 per cent to the overall tax increase.
According to a news release, the 2020 budget includes a property tax increase of 1.96 per cent to deliver city services and services provided by Barrie’s service partners, plus a one per cent increase for the dedicated infrastructure renewal fund, which is used to replace and renew Barrie’s roads, pipes and buildings.
What that means for the average Barrie home that’s assessed at $351,000 is an additional $122 annually. (The assessed value is provided by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and is different than the market value).
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“Council and staff worked hard to provide improved service and invest in priorities like roads, transit, affordable housing and the infrastructure needed to support our growing city, while minimizing the impact to local tax payers,” Lehman said in a statement.
Barrie council approved increased investments in affordable housing, allocating $1 million to a community improvement plan that is aimed at attracted the creation of affordable housing.
The city is also spending more than last year to support affordable housing services delivered by Simcoe County.
The Connected Core pilot program — which delivers coordinated access to outreach, housing, mental health, addiction and other community services — will continue in 2020.
The 2020 operating budget also includes funding for increased lifeguard service at Centennial Beach, needle exchange bins and naloxone kits at various city parks and parking lots, as well as free Barrie Transit service for seniors on Thursdays.
A new transit pilot program will be introduced in the new year and will use mobile technology to provide “flexible routing” based on a transit user’s travel needs.
According to officials, a community bus pilot project will also be implemented and will connect customers to popular destinations along a “unique neighbourhood route.”
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Officials say expanded operation of the landfill’s recycling depot will reduce wait times and increase diversion rates. Winter control and downtown maintenance will also be improved with six additional staff who will increase service levels, officials add.
Key projects in the 2020 capital budget include the new Harvie Road and Big Bay Point Road crossing at Highway 400, completion of the Barrie-Simcoe Emergency Services Campus, $4.2 million in road resurfacing across the city and $6 million to replace a portion of city’s fleet of vehicles.
Additional projects include the Dunlop Street improvements, expansion of Mapleview Drive East, the reconstruction of Dunlop, Poyntz and Berczy streets, and rehabilitating the 10 public washrooms in city parks.
According to Barrie officials, the capital budget also accounts for funding for the new Huronia/McKay trunk sanitary project, which will unlock 381 residential units in the short-term.
Council also approved a 3.34-per cent increase to water rates and a 4.75-per cent increase to wastewater rates.
For a typical Barrie home consuming 180 cubic metres of water annually, officials say, the water bill will increase by $11.50, while the wastewater bill will by $22.96.
Barrie’s business plan and budget will be funded through property taxes, user fees and other financing sources.
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