It’s time again for a new municipal budget in Bradford — and an increased property tax rate for residents.
Council is scheduled to participate in budget deliberations Tuesday and Wednesday to hammer out the details of what the town needs versus what the town wants, how much that will all cost and what impact that will have on taxes.
A report from Ian Goodfellow, the town’s director of finance and treasurer, explained that in order to maintain the town’s current levels of service while investing in “important priorities for the community,” the draft budget for 2025 would require a total property tax increase of 3.51 per cent, or an extra $188.79 for the average home.
In Bradford, the province’s Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) assessed the average home at $516,919.
“This budget has been developed through careful consideration of community needs, priorities, and the ongoing challenges we face,” Mayor James Leduc said in the draft budget’s introductory message. “It aims to balance fiscal responsibility with investments in infrastructure, public safety, recreation, and community development.”
Councillors will be debating the town’s costs as the draft budget requires slightly more than $25.1 million in property taxes to help fund an operating budget of about $72.5 million.
That includes about $31.8 million in staffing expenses, an increase of about $2.3 million over last year, due largely to cost-of-living adjustments for unionized employees and increases in benefits, according to the draft.
Also included is about $1.2 million to help cover the cost of hiring several new staff, with some proposed positions and annual wages including:
- director of strategic initiatives — $201,732
- two fire prevention inspectors — $197,434 (combined)
- development review engineer — $117,577
- transit coordinator — $107,403
While a “significant” portion of the operating budge comes from property taxes, the draft explains about 77 per cent is expected to come from other sources including provincial grants, subsidies and user fees.
The total tax rate also includes external factors beyond the town’s budget, like policing, the County of Simcoe budget, and the provincial education tax.
The South Simcoe Police Service’s 2025 budget has yet to be approved, but an estimated increase of about $1.29 million is projected for Bradford.
Similarly, the county’s 2025 budget has not yet been approved, but an estimated increase of about $1.35 million is projected for Bradford.
The provincial education tax is not expected to increase.
The draft provides a breakdown of how the total taxes paid by residents would be divided in 2025.
- Bradford — 42 per cent
- County — 29 per cent
- Police — 15 per cent
- Education — 14 per cent
Included in Bradford’s portion, the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library is also projected to require about $3.3 million in property taxes, an increase of about $232,000 from 2024.
That’s expected to include an increase of about $159,000 in staffing expenses to cover cost-of-living adjustments for unionized employees and increases in benefits.
Also included is the town’s special capital levy which is expected to be almost $10.4 million, and is used to help fund replacement of infrastructure like roads and sewers as well as to help fund the construction of new facilities like the future town hall.
Funding for large capital projects can also come from grants, development charges or reserves, and fit into a 10-year capital plan that’s currently about $160.5 million, including about $20.5 million in 2025.
Some project funding up for approval in 2025 includes:
- $3.7 million for roads rehabilitation
- $1.9 million for a fleet replacement program
- $1.87 million for a new snow disposal site
- $1.38 million for a new transit bus
For water and wastewater, residential users are expected to see no change to the base charges, but an increase in rates of about 3.7 per cent for water and about 6.3 per cent for wastewater.
For commercial users, the base charge for water is expected to stay the same, but for wastewater increase to $50 from $43, with an increase in rates of about 6.5 per cent for water and about 10 per cent for wastewater.
This will be Bradford’s second budget under the strong-mayor powers granted by the provincial government last fall.
The budget was initially presented to councillors on Nov. 7, and in the strong-mayor system, they have 30 days (until Dec. 7) to propose amendments, after which time the mayor has 10 days (until Dec. 17) to veto those amendments. Following that, council has 15 days to use a two-thirds majority to override the mayor’s veto.
If a strong mayor does not attempt to veto any amendments within the 10 days, then the budget as amended would be deemed approved.
