Grey County council has given first approval to the draft 2023 Grey County budget, which calls for a 1.48 per cent levy increase over 2022, after factoring in new growth.
So in all, the county levy will have to raise $67.9 million.
Staff presented a $225.1 million operating and capital budget to council during a special budget meeting January 27. Staff reported Grey County residents and businesses will see stability in service levels in 2023.
The budget includes investments in infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, buildings, and equipment. Climate action, supportive housing and affordable housing, as well as business support and economic development, are also highlighted.
“Maintaining service levels without adding additional stress to taxpayers was the focus of Council with the 2023 budget,” said Grey County Warden Brian Milne. “With inflation sitting above six per cent, we’ve made tough decisions that will keep the County tax increases to a minimum without jeopardizing the quality of the valuable services we deliver to our community.”
To keep the levy requirement stable, some anticipated projects have been deferred to future years.
“Several factors impact the cost of providing services. Most of these factors are outside of the County’s control,” explained Milne. “We need to understand our financial reality and that means we can’t take on every project we would like to. As a Council, our job is to prioritize what is most important and will have the greatest impact. I believe that’s what we’ve done with this budget.”
"Around 41 per cent of the levy directly supports people through services such as affordable housing, long-term care, Ontario Works, early learning and child care, and paramedic services. Investments in Grey County roads and road maintenance accounts for another 33 per cent of the levy," according to the staff report.
The draft approved budget will be brought forward to County Council for final approval on Thursday, February 9.
