Following two online community consultations and three Budget Committee meetings, on Wednesday, February 1, Chatham-Kent Council passed the 2023 municipal budget.
Chatham-Kent residents have been faced with unprecedented inflation levels, and municipal services have also dealt with those same pressures, with even higher inflation on infrastructure-related expenses. The 5.64% budget increase includes significant investments in Chatham-Kent’s infrastructure with 51% of the 2023 budget increase being allocated toward infrastructure. The remaining budget increase provides investments in affordable housing, enhanced 911 services, increased service levels for parks and cemeteries and sustainable investments in municipal services. In addition to the sustainable investments in core municipal services, Council committed to funding $4.5M to ensure the continued growth of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Wallaceburg campus.
The increase is under the 2022 Canada inflation rate of 6.8%. The overall budget increase represents a tax impact of approximately $178 on an average home assessment (January 1, 2016 value) of $173,100.
Before the draft budget was completed, the municipality launched a budget survey to seek input from the residents on areas of focus that were important to the public. The survey had over 220 responses, providing the municipality with residents’ ideas and opinions.
After the recommendations were presented to Council by the municipal administration on January 11, the administration held online consultations along with a question-and-answer forum on Let’s Talk CK to gather input from citizens on the recommendations. Comments were also received by e-mail.
The online consultations resulted in greater public education and understanding of the municipality's operations and were well viewed with over 1,000 views.
Budget Committee Chair Councillor Brock McGregor said “I wish to thank everyone that participated in the community engagement process this year. It is imperative that citizens participate in the process so administration and Council hear what is important to our residents.”
Mayor Darrin Canniff said “Administration and Council worked very hard to keep the property tax increase under the national inflation rate. This increase will help to ensure we maintain the extensive infrastructure we have in Chatham-Kent such as our roads, but also help address the need for affordable housing in our community”.
For more information on the 2023 Municipality of Chatham-Kent budget, please visit the municipal webpage Our Municipal Budgets
For more information:
Counc. Brock McGregor
Budget Committee Chair
519-436-3205
Brock.McGregor@chatham-kent.ca Darrin Canniff
Mayor, Chatham-Kent
519-360-1998
Darrin.Canniff@chatham-kent.caGord Quinton, MBA, CPA, CGA
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer
Phone: 519-352-8401 x3799
gordq@chatham-kent.ca
Media Contact:
Amy Wilcox
Manager, Corporate Initiatives and Communications
Municipality of Chatham-Kent
519-360-1998 x 3055
amyw@chatham-kent.ca