Council approved its 2023 budget at a special meeting Monday evening, and that means local residents are facing a 2.79 per cent tax increase this year.
The tax increase is down slightly from the projected 3.03 per cent hike arrived at during budget deliberations, after council and city staff managed to whittle down the hike at Monday’s ratification meeting.
But the decisions did not come easy — or without fireworks.
A handful of residents showed up at the meeting to show their opposition to Mayor Don McIsaac’s proposal to reduce transit services from half-hourly to hourly during off-peak hours and weekends, which would have realized $670,000 in savings per year for the city.
One resident jeered at McIsaac in the minutes leading up to the meeting, and vocally protested the idea throughout the proceedings.
OPP officers were briefly present at the meeting at the Orillia City Centre.
“Would you please acknowledge us? Is that too much to ask? Can you look up from your papers and notice that we're here to talk? Are you unable to do that?” the woman shouted to McIsaac from the gallery prior to the meeting.
A majority of councillors expressed concern about cutting transit service and, ultimately, the idea was rejected.
Coun. Janet-Lynne Durnford objected to how the ridership data used to support the cuts in off-peak hours was not dated, and did not like the use of the word “luxury” to describe the transit system in McIsaac's proposal. She also noted that the projected savings do not account for possible loss of ridership with reduced hours, among other concerns.
“Most importantly, I do not support this because of its direct impact on users of transit, and I want to acknowledge the people who are here today,” Durnford said. “I want to acknowledge the strong feelings behind the letters we have received, the emails we have received … and letters that have appeared in local media, and I think that we ignore that to our peril.”
Before making any decisions, Durnford hopes for the transit advisory committee to complete its previously requested report on local transit, and to see broader consultation with its users.
“I think the question we should be asking is, instead of looking at reduced services, how can we look at increasing ridership and improving the service? And for answers, we need to consult the people who use the service and await the transit committee report, and personally, I will be advocating for a pilot of a municipally owned on-demand transit system,” Durnford said.
McIsaac argued that having relatively empty buses during off-peak hours simply “doesn’t make sense.”
“The word luxury has been used a couple of times, and the quote is that this is a luxury we cannot afford, to have empty buses riding around,” he countered. “I don't think anyone would disagree with that.
“Transit is important to us. It's part of our economic backbone, we agree, but to send empty buses around town doesn't make sense," said the mayor.
Council also walked back its earlier budget decision to nearly double parking rates after Coun. David Campbell successfully argued for the Downtown Orillia Management Board and Parking Advisory Committee to report on alternative solutions that might bring in more money than rate hikes.
“Some of the suggestions they have potentially could bring in more money than what we're talking about here, so I don't look at as giving up the money,” Campbell argued. “I look at it as more, almost like the transit file, where we're going to consult with people. We're going to inform them.
“We need to involve them in the discussion before we make decisions like that.”
Council narrowly approved phasing in a full user-pay garbage tag system, with 10 free tags made available for residents this year, and none beginning in 2024.
“I think we've already reduced garbage pickup to once every other week, and then switched to clear bags, which has significantly expanded the life of our waste diversion site,” said Coun. Luke Leatherdale. “It's asking too much of people to now pay for garbage tags, especially with everything else going on in people's lives: rent rising, grocery costs rising, people are struggling to keep up. They don't need this extra burden.”
The price for garbage tags will climb to $2.50 in 2024, after Coun. Jay Fallis received council support to reduce that figure from the recommended $3 per tag price.
“The clear bag initiative … the city has gotten on board with, generally, and I think it has led to a lot of savings, and in in the comments from the (Waste Management Advisory Committee) generally, the savings that have been realized by the city should be passed on in some ways to the public as well.”
Recreation, culture, parks and facility rental fees will increase between three-to-15 per cent, which equates to about $3 to $10. Fees for Fun Passes at the Orillia Recreation Centre for Orillia taxpayers will remain frozen for 2023 and will be brought forward for review as part of the 2024 budget process. Rates for Fun Passes for non-residents (those who do not pay taxes directly to the City of Orillia) will increase effective May 1, 2023.
Following the meeting, city staff told OrilliaMatters that the bulk of the tax hike (2 of the 2.79 per cent) is related to County of Simcoe services and the impacts of Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act.
Highlights of the 2023 budget include:
- Laclie Street Reconstruction Project Phase 1 in the amount of $6.8 million.
- Phase 3 Centennial Drive Area Improvements in the amount of $2.65 million.
- Annual Road Resurfacing Program in the amount of $2.1 million.
- Annual Sidewalk Program in the amount of $1 million.
- $570,000 for Orillia City Centre Council Chamber accessibility and technology upgrades.
- Affordable Housing Reserve contribution increase from $100,000 to $200,000 annually.
- Housing Coordinator position in the amount of $103,000.
- Funding for the Orillia Overnight Warming Centre in the amount of $31,500.
- Approximately $30,000 for a Waterfront Shuttle Service Pilot Program to assist with transportation to waterfront amenities in lieu of parking.
- Centennial Boat Launch Parking Lot project in the amount of $1.5 million.
- $34,000 for implementation of paid boat launch parking for non-residents.
- Climate Change Action Plan Coordinator position in the amount of $115,000.
- $60,000 for a Transit Electrification and Zero Emissions Study.
- City-wide customer service enhancements in the amount of $150,000.
- Printable drop-in recreation program calendar in the amount of $20,000.
- Public Wi-Fi for Rotary Place in the amount of $120,000.
