Chatham-Kent Civic Centre. (Photo by Jaryn Vecchio)
Chatham

CK homeowners looking at 5.9 per cent tax increase as budget talks start

It may not be an exciting time but it is an important time for the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.

Budget season is back with homeowners looking at a potential 5.96 per cent tax increase.

If approved, this means the households will be paying an additional $119 per $100,000 of the property's current assessed value.

Councillor and Budget Committee Chair Brock McGregor told CK News Today the nearly 6 per cent increase is not set in stone.

"Every year that I've gone through this process there have been changes through budget deliberations so this is certainly just a starting point," he said.

Originally, the 2025 budget was looking at a 8.17 per cent increase when CK's council approved the multi-year budget for 2024 to 2027. That number jumped to around 9.4 per cent during the year, however, the municipality has been able to lower it to the current 5.96 per cent.

It plans to do this by keeping equipment and systems that were set to be updated and eliminating some services it believes were insufficient. The main service being discussed is dust control which currently costs the municipality roughly $1.3 million a year.

"It's something that doesn't work very well, it works for a short amount of time, and has some environmental concerns as well," explained Gord Quinton, CK's Chief Financial Officer.

Another $2 million is also coming from the province through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

The municipality has split the 5.96 per cent increase into three categories: maintaining existing services, asset management, and investments in social issues.

McGregor explained the number would be a lot lower if the provincial and federal governments provided proper funding for things they're responsible for. This includes costs associated with homeless shelters and encampments.

"We've seen frozen or decreased funding from the other levels of government [but] we've seen the requirements for services increase," he added.

According to the municipality, the proposed community hub will have no impact on the budget and subsequent tax increase. All costs will be factored in to existing budgets already approved in the 2024-2027 multi-year spending plan.

"I get it, anytime we spend a lot of money people are concerned about where the money is coming from. We're consistently putting money aside for future care, for future business, for future assets," added Michael Duben, CK's Chief Administrative Officer.

None of the recommendations mentioned in a report on how to cut 7.5 per cent from different municipal budgets, brought forward by Councillor Ryan Doyle, have had any impact on the proposed numbers.

CK's council will officially start budget deliberations on November 26. People can learn more about the budget, including how to share their input, on the municipality's website.

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