The average homeowner in Trent Lakes will pay $59.06 more in municipal taxes even though the total 2025 budget is $5,239,039 less than 2024.
CAO/Treasurer Donna Teggart told council that the budget decrease is a result of the completion of the new Dedicated Mechanics Facility built just north of Bobcaygeon.
The taxes property owners will pay is still based in the 2016 Municipal Property Assessment Corporation’s (MPAC) assessment which has not been updated after being delayed by the Covid pandemic. The MPAC assessment for the average home in 2016 in Trent Lakes is $412,612.80.
The increase for 2025 is $11.79 for every 100,000 of residential assessment. The impact on the average homeowner for a single family detached, single family detached on water and seasonal dwelling on water will be $59.06.
The 2025 budget is impacted by increased training certification for Emergency Services, wage increases under the new COPE contract, purchasing delivery delays and a lack of bidders on projects, inflationary pressures and increased insurance costs.
Teggart told council that there have been cost savings through digitization and process efficiencies, joint tendering with Peterborough County for road surface treatment, winter sand and calcium chloride, and new revenue from changes to the recycling process.
The average homeowner in Trent Lakes will now pay $1,720.18 which breaks down to $127.64 for general government costs, $391.34 for protection services, $650.23 for public works, $246.67 for fire and rescue services, $189.05 for parks and recreation and $115.25 for capital programs.
The largest portion of the budget is for capital costs which account for just over 36 per cent. Capital costs include a new fire and public works building in Buckhorn, road treatment, microsufacing and gravel resurfacing costs, the Lakehurst Hall Lower Bowl Project and replacement vehicles and equipment.
Road maintenance, vehicle and equipment maintenance, snow plowing sanding and salting and waste management account for 23.30 per cent of the budget.
Other protection covers the OPP levy and well as by-law enforcement, land use planning, community improvement planning, a conservation levy and sewage permits and inspections. This adds up to 16.50 percent of the budget.
Teggart told council that OPP billing is expected to increase significantly next year.
Just over 10 per cent covers general government expenses which includes financial services, administrative and council costs, economic development, human resources and costs for the Buckhorn Medical Centre.
Other budgetary expenses include costs for fire services (7.8 percent, and Parks and Recreation costs (6.11 percent).
