Grey County's 2021 budget includes a focus on affordable housing.
Last week, Grey County Council's Committee of the Whole supported the 2021 draft budget. It calls for a County tax rate increase of 2.11% for the a total operating and capital budget of $171.2 million.
The levy tax rate increase equals almost $25 more for county taxes for the average homeowner.
An update from Grey County says the draft budget includes $1.11 million investment to create an affordable housing fund. The amount is equal to $500,000, plus the equivalent of 1% levy. The task force recommended including 1% in the budget each year to continue growing the fund which will support land purchases and affordable housing builds. Council chose to pay the 1% in 2021 from one-time reserves.
“The 2021 budget is responsive to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the needs of the community. Service levels are being maintained in most departments with additional resources supporting important priorities, such as affordable housing, transportation infrastructure, rural transportation and other areas,” said Grey County Warden Selwyn ‘Buck’ Hicks.
“Affordable housing continues to be a real challenge. County Council is taking action to ensure individuals and families in Grey will have more access to safe and affordable homes,” said Warden Hicks. “We still have a lot of work ahead, but this is a massive step forward.”
In addition to establishing the Affordable Housing Fund, the budget also includes an investment of $3.7 million towards 49 housing capital projects throughout the County and administering $3.8 million from the Canada Ontario Community Housing Initiative and Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative to support an affordable housing build by the Owen Sound Housing Company.
The budget continues the annual 1% increase to the transportation budget. And it supports the operation of the Grey Road 4 route of the Grey Transit Route between Flesherton and Walkerton.
Also in the 2021 budget is funding to offset and react to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly $2 million is budgeted to support increased spending for staffing and equipment (including PPE) to support infection control, screening and testing. The largest expenditure will be in long-term care. Other County services, such as Paramedics, along with maintenance and cleaning across all services, especially in affordable housing will benefit from support for continued precautions.
“The measures needed to respond to COVID-19 are substantial and action needs to be taken by all levels of government to ensure our communities are protected. While additional funding from upper levels of government is likely, we need to be vigilant in our planning to ensure we have the resources ready to go if and when they are needed,” said Warden Hicks.
Grey County will undertake several plans and studies in 2021 to help inform future policy and decisions. Some of the budgeted projects include an Age-Friendly Community Strategic Plan, a review of development charges, building and facility condition assessments and updating the Corporate Communications Strategy.
Estimated new assessment revenue of $1.24 million is included in the budget. This growth helps meet levy requirements but also puts more demand on services.
