Haldimand County Council approves 2024 Tax-Supported Operating Budget
On February 29, 2024, Haldimand County Council reviewed and approved the 2024 Tax-Supported Operating Budget. The budget results in a total levy requirement of $86,097,640, which equates to an annual residential tax impact of 4.43% or approximately $13.14 per month on an average residential home.
The Operating Budget pays for day to day operations of the County, including (but not limited to) salaries, wages, utilities, insurance and services like running arenas, pools and the public library, maintaining 600+ acres of parks and cemeteries, providing emergency services and garbage collection.
The 2024 budget strives to balance the difficult economic climate being experienced across the province with the necessary requirements to keep Haldimand on pace within other communities.
The increase to the budget can be attributed to inflationary increases to base operational expenditures along with minimal new initiatives in the areas of community health & safety, climate change and technology advancements, all of which are intended to meet the community’s evolving needs and maintain the level of service delivery residents deserve and expect.
“Staff have worked hard under challenging economic circumstances to develop a budget that balances the challenges taxpayers are facing with keeping the municipality moving forward to meet the service expectations of our community,” noted Cathy Case, Chief Administrative Officer.
Case noted that despite facing similar budgetary pressures, the county’s annual tax impact is significantly lower than many of its municipal comparators.
“The 2024 budget maintains the core services our residents expect and introduces some new initiatives in response to our community’s greatest needs. Staff have prepared a budget that accounts for many uncontrollable factors, including decisions made by the province, while ensuring the facilities, services and amenities we provide are sustained for the public we serve,” said Haldimand County Mayor Shelley Bentley.
Key initiatives included within the 2024 Tax-Supported Operating are focused around 5 key themes. Highlights include:
- Healthcare & Community Wellness
– Investing in additional staff at Grandview Lodge to increase direct care for residents and
provide enhanced coverage
– Continuing the vital work of the Community Paramedic Program
– Introducing a Physician Recruitment Strategy to address critical shortages of health care
practitioners in the community - Community & Customer Service
– Increasing the annual contribution to the Community Beautification Program, providing
$80,000 in grant funding to local organizations
– Introducing new resources to support local business and bolster the local economy
– Facilitating bi-annual Resident Satisfaction Surveys to ensure services are meeting community
needs
– Adding additional frontline customer service staff in response to growth and increasing
demand for services - Workforce Recruitment & Retention
– Committing to staff recruitment and retention through the implementation of Non-Union
Compensation Market Review recommendations
- Technology
– Strengthening cybersecurity efforts, increase efficiencies and continue technology advancements
through the continuation of the Council approved IT division reorganization
– Adopting an Innovation Fund to enable small-scale technology projects within the organization to
proceed efficiently
– Ensuring public-facing communications technologies meet user needs and comply with
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) legislation - Climate Change & Emergency Response
– Enhancing the county’s forestry management program by introducing a new invasive species
program
– Allocating additional funding to offer the Rural Water Quality Program on a permanent basis
– Moving from a part-time Emergency Services Coordinator of Emergency Management/Fire
Education to a full-time position
On average, a residential property owner can expect their annual property taxes to be allocated as follows:
More information on County budgets and budget processes is available at HaldimandCounty.ca/financials/budgets.