The City of Pembroke has crunched the numbers and ratepayers are looking at a municipal tax rate increase of 7.9 per cent.
The average residential taxpayer with a 2016 property assessment of $179,000 can expect to pay $220 more in property taxes in 2024.
Officials say that while the price of homes has increased significantly in recent years, property taxes continue to be calculated on a property’s 2016 value as assessed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).
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, says the city. The remaining $88-increase is related to city-delivered services that include roads, fire protection, and parks/recreation services.
The 2024 budget includes $31.6 million of capital projects for road work, sidewalk repairs, parks, and facilities, along with continued upgrades to the city’s water and sewer system.
The budget also includes $1.4 million in repairs to the Kinsmen Pool with the stipulation that at least 25 per cent of those costs be supported by contributions from other area municipalities, as well as donations from the general public. To support this initiative, a fundraising campaign has been launched.
Water and sewer rates will also be increasing in 2024. Officials say the average residential taxpayer can expect to pay $76 more per year for water and sewer in 2024.
“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,” said 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 Finance and Administration Committee spent three days of deliberations before finalizing the budget, which will be adopted at the Feb. 20 council meeting.
(Written by Sherry Haaima)
