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The City of Pembroke will adopt its 2024 budget at the February 20 meeting of Council.
Following three days of deliberations by the Finance and Administration Committee, the 2024 budget reflects a levy increase after growth of 7.94% and a municipal tax rate increase of 7.9%. While the price of homes has increased significantly in recent years, City property taxes continue to be calculated on a property’s 2016 value as assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).
The average residential taxpayer with a 2016 property assessment of $179,000 can expect to pay $220 more in property taxes in 2024. Of this increase, $132 is related to the rising cost of shared services, including services delivered by the County of Renfrew for paramedics, Ontario Works, childcare, social housing and long-term care, as well as OPP policing and the Renfrew County and District Health Unit. The City has no control over the cost of these shared services.
The remaining $88 increase is related to City-delivered services including roads, fire protection, and parks/recreation services. Other area municipalities set their rates excluding the County of Renfrew costs.
“I wish to thank both staff and Council for their diligence and work at preparing a budget that serves all people of Pembroke and attempts to address ongoing and future concerns with our facilities and services,” says Mayor Ron Gervais. “We have and will continue to petition other levels of government for funding and to work with other municipalities to offset the cost to our ratepayers.”
The 2024 budget includes $31.6M of capital projects for road work, sidewalk repairs, parks, and facilities, along with continued upgrades to the City’s water and sewer system.
Feedback from the City’s public budget meeting held on January 15 indicated strong support to repair the Kinsmen Pool and re-open the facility as soon as possible. As a result, the 2024 budget includes repairing the Kinsmen Pool ($1.4M), but with the stipulation that at least 25% of the repair costs be supported by contributions from other area municipalities whose residents use and benefit from the facility as well as donations from the general public.
To support this initiative, a fundraising campaign has been launched. Charitable donations can now be made to the Regional Pool Fundraising Campaign. Any funds raised through this campaign will be used for the construction, maintenance, repair and/or equipment of the current Kinsmen Pool and any new aquatic facility. To donate online, please visit the City of Pembroke’s website.
Other key infrastructure projects expected to occur in 2024 include:
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Water works on Bennett Street ($2.4M) with funding from the joint federal-provincial Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Green Stream.
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Finalization of the twinning of the Townline sanitary sewer forcemain ($8.3M)
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Reconstruction of Moffat Street from Pembroke Street West to Renfrew Street ($1.5M)
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Road resurfacing on: Arnold’s Lane; Crandall Street (Pembroke Street West to Cecil Street); Maple Avenue (Metcalfe Street to Hunter Street); and Thompson Street (Eganville Road to Horace Street) ($517,000)
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Works at the Water Purification Plant including filters, launderers, and undertile drains ($3.1M) and backwash tank forcemain and pump overhaul ($1.1M)
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Riverside Park field drainage ($250,000)
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Replacement of marina fuel tanks and pumps ($200,000)
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Chiller replacement at the PMC ($65,000)
Water and sewer rates will be increasing in 2024. Under Ontario’s Safe Drinking Water Act, the City is required to prepare financial plans for water systems to ensure sufficient revenue is generated to provide safe drinking water. Findings of a plan completed by Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. in 2020 indicate that both water and sewer rates must increase annually to support ongoing operations and upkeep. Based on these recommendations, 2024 rates will be increasing as follows: water flat rate +5.7%; water metered rate +9.8%; sewer flat rate +5.2%; and sewer metered rate +6.9%. The average residential taxpayer can expect to pay $76 more per year for water and sewer in 2023.
The overall impact of these changes to the average residential household is an increase of $296 per year or $24.68 per month.
Further information on the City’s 2024 budget will be presented during the Council meeting on February 20 starting at 6 p.m. These meetings are livestreamed and available on the City’s YouTube channel.
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