Timmins residents getting property tax increase

If you live in Timmins, get ready to pay more in property tax.

Tuesday night, city council approved its 2024 taxation fund budget with a three per cent increase.

To keep the rate hike to three per cent, council is taking $260,000 from the city's reserves.

However, a city official told CTV News that how much extra taxpayers will pay won't be known until April as the city is still waiting for some numbers to come in.

"The next step is confirming 2024 school board and property assessments and approved budgets for the city’s service partners and provincially mandated programs, before approving the final tax rates for 2024,'" Natalie Moore, the city's director of finance, is quoted as saying in the news release.

Timmins' net operating budget is $36,741,667 this year.

• Download the CTV News app now
• Get local breaking news alerts
• Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox

"The operating budget covers the cost of daily municipal services such as maintenance of city roads, public transit, garbage collection, snow removal, and parks and arena maintenance," the city said.

More than $10 million of the $38 million capital budget will be covered by taxes, while the balance will be covered by the city's reserves.

"Capital funds support the creation, repair, or replacement of municipal assets that are required to deliver daily services to the community, including infrastructure like roads. This amount does not include capital expenses related to water and wastewater, which are approved as part of the separate utilities fund budget," the city said.

Here are a few things included in the capital budget:

• $2.1 million for road repair through the City’s grind and pave program
• $3.5 million (offset by funding) for upgrades to the Mattagami and Porcupine bridges as part of Connecting Link rehabilitation
• $2 million (offset by funding) for repairs to the Mattagami boat launch pier and retaining wall
• $1.7 million in fleet purchases for the Timmins Fire Department
• $5.6 million for Porcupine River Bridge construction (offset with reserve and funding)
• Continue Golden Manor redevelopment
• Final downtown segment of the Connecting Link
• Implementing some recommendations from the updated recreation master plan

"We are focused on meeting residents’ daily needs and making long-term plans that will move Timmins forward with room for expansion and development," city CAO Dave Landers is quoted as saying in the news release.

"We recognize that our financial resources are finite, and have worked diligently to balance service delivery with capital demand, such as road and infrastructure upgrades."

Mayor Michelle Boileau said city council focused on how it can work to improve the quality of life of residents.

"The budget will support a variety of projects and programs that will rehabilitate necessary infrastructure, prioritize community safety and well-being, and encourage growth and development," Boileau said.

TRANSIT MODERNIZATION

Meanwhile, Timmins transit said it has some modernization plans in the works for this year.

Officials said this includes four new conventional buses, a new fare box system and the introduction of a micro-transit pilot project for riders in the Porcupine and South Porcupine areas.

This will include the use of a new Timmins on-demand app currently in development.