North Bay social services budget being increased to address homelessness, paramedic services
The social services board in the Nipissing District is using its reserves to keep the tax levy down to less than three per cent after passing its 2024 budget.
The total budget will be at just under $95 million dollars, up $4.5 million from 2023.
This means a 2.99 per cent tax increase.
"That 2.99 per cent is spread amongst all of the surrounding communities," King said. "North Bay pays about 79 per cent of that overall increase."
The board’s Homelessness Prevention Program funding is getting a nearly $3 million dollar increase to $5.3 million to ease pressure on the housing services budget levy.
"The warming centre, someone has to pay for that facility," said Mark King, the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board chair.
"There's been enhanced security in the downtown core and most of that money has come from DNSSAB."
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
The board also approved a budget increase for paramedic services.
"There are significant increases to the paramedic services budget due to inflation, collective bargaining and increased call volumes which has led to increased paramedic deployment," the budget report states.
Paramedic services changes are imminent and include enhanced response to Temagami, Mattawa and South Algonquin.
"These smaller communities find it difficult to attract people to that location because of housing and these people are in and out of these small communities to provide the service," the report said.
The budget report said inflation will continue to result in annual increases for the Northern Pines transitional housing complex and its neighbouring low-barrier shelter, as officials aim to open Phase 3 of the project as soon as possible.
"That's part of this process, to get it up and have it fully operational," King said.
As part of the overall budget, the Nipissing District Housing Corporation (NDHC) funding was also passed.
The NDHC operating and capital funding is incorporated within the overall DNSSAB housing services budget.
The full budget document can be found on the DNSSAB website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.