Timmins council begins budget talks

Timmins council has taken its first look at the proposed 2023 municipal budget. The city's treasurer and chief administrative officer presented the extensive budget package for discussion on Tuesday.

As it stands now, taxpayers would be looking at a tax increase of around 3.2 per cent. Council is still expecting to hear from other boards and committees and there could be additional funding requests.

“If we didn’t want to have any sort of increase, we definitely would be looking at reducing services; cancelling planned projects," said mayor Michelle Boileau

"We’d really have to be pulling back.”

Not all councillors have submitted their requests either. Ward 3 Councillor Bill Gvozdanovic said the feedback he's received so far from people is that Ward 3 is "like a forgotten ward."

"We’re not looking for five or 10 million dollars of investment, but we’re looking for something on a yearly basis that’s guaranteed to make sure that we see some improvements in our community," he said.

Councillor John Curley who represents Porcupine also wants to make sure things like public washrooms in Connaught are built and that the replacement of the Hoyle Bridge is completed as soon as possible.

“So I’d like to see that happening this year for sure," said Curley.

"Design and possibly start even tearing down of the old bridge just to get that work going a little quicker otherwise we’re looking at could be another two years and that’s a long time to wait I think for a safety area.”

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The mayor said council knows that inflation is having an impact on taxpayers, but she said there would be no progress without investment.

“We want to ensure that should there be an increase ... that those funds will be used wisely, strategically and that as I said they will be an investment that will stimulate future growth," said Boileau.

This week's budget meeting was the first of more to come. The mayor said a new council and the treasurer's recent return from a leave of absence have delayed the financial discussions until now.

Boileau told CTV News she expects the budge will be ready for a vote at the end of March.