Clarington Council yesterday announced that it has unanimously approved the 2022 budget that will increase the municipal portion of the tax levy by 2.11 per cent.
In October last year, Clarington Council had set a target guideline to allow for a maximum proposed increase of 3.95 per cent for the local portion of taxes to pay for the services Clarington provides [see Related Stories below].
When combined with the Region of Durham and the provincial education portions, taxpayers will see an approximate 1.99 per cent increase on the overall combined tax bill, said a municipal statement.
Region of Durham proposes to raise its portion of property tax by 2.6 per cent [see Related Stories below].
For the Clarington portion of the tax bill, residents will pay approximately $33 or $2.75 per month more on a property assessed at $400,000. That is the average house assessment value in Clarington determined by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC). Clarington uses the assessment values calculated by MPAC to calculate its tax base. It’s important to note that a one per cent increase to the municipal levy equals approximately $653,685 in additional revenue for the municipality.
“Council worked together to create a fiscally responsible budget that supports the costs of providing services and manages Clarington’s growth. Along with my colleagues on council, I am pleased to support this budget as we continue to help shape Clarington’s future and invest in projects that matter to our residents,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.
The municipal budget will support Clarington’s current service delivery and includes infrastructure investment, said the statement.
Announced 2022 Durham Tax Increases
3.89% – Uxbridge
2.6% – Durham Region
2% – Scugog
2% – Whitby
1.99% – Clarington
1.85% – Oshawa
The operating budget pays for the day-to-day expenses and totals more than $60.3 million. It covers the costs of various Clarington services, including emergency and fire services, winter snow maintenance, recreation facility operations and program delivery, library services, external agencies supported by council, and more. In turn, these external agencies provide services for youth, families, hospice care, support for the arts, and more. In 2022, these agencies will receive $712,600 in funding. The largest impact on Clarington’s operating budget continues to be the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. Following current trends, the demand for recreation programs in the first half of 2022 is lower, as is the allowed program capacity currently at 50 per cent levels. As restrictions continue to ease and public confidence grows, Clarington expects to return to normal capacity and program levels by the end of the year.
The statement said Clarington continues to invest in its capital assets to repair and rehabilitate aging infrastructure and add new facilities as needed. The 2022 capital investment is approximately $99.18 million. This includes improvements to the Newcastle Memorial Arena, the Orono Arena and Community Centre, improvements to the Courtice Shores Drive grade crossing, and a new South Bowmanville facility. The South Bowmanville Recreation Complex is Clarington’s largest new capital investment and will include a pool, twin pad arena, a gymnasium and walking track, and administrative space. It will be built in a single phase and paid through debenture and financed, in part, by development charges.
“As Clarington’s population continues to grow, this new complex will help support the recreation needs of our community. A recent Statistics Canada census shows that Clarington is the fastest growing community in the Region of Durham. Our population has grown by 10.2 per cent since 2016. This complex is a much-needed community amenity that will help support a great quality of life for residents,” said Mayor Foster.
Budget Highlights:
- $655,000 for various Clarington park upgrades, a portion of which will be funded through the tax levy.
- $280,000 for the rehabilitation of Newcastle Lion’s Trail.
- $105,000 for upgrades to Clarington Fields.
- $100,000 for splash pad resurfacing across Clarington.
- $2,200,000 for rehabilitation of various structures, including buildings and bridges, a portion of which will be funded through the tax levy.
- $180,000 for municipal sidewalk replacement.
- $300,000 for accessible crossing signal upgrades at intersections in various areas.
- Additional funding of $734,000 for Cobbledick Road railway crossing improvements in addition to the $750,000 approved earlier.
- $6,402,000 to replace the arena floors at Orono Arena and Community Centre and the Newcastle Memorial Arena to be funded by debenture.
- An estimated $61 million for a new South Bowmanville Recreation Complex.
- An estimated $7,000,000 for Courtice Shores Drive grade crossing improvements funded from development charges.