This year’s small property tax increase will fund modest gains for Barrie residents.
It stands at 0.92 per cent, or another $40.45 in 2021 on a typical house assessed at $367,550, bringing taxes on that property to $4,494.45 this year from $4,454 in 2020.
“Council’s priority this year was keeping taxes low,” Mayor Jeff Lehman said. “Council and staff worked hard to keep this budget as lean as possible, while still maintaining city services our residents rely on. It’s clear that this is not the year for a significant tax increase.
“Our residents are currently facing a new and deeper round of economic uncertainty due to the pandemic," he added.
Even with the low tax increase, Lehman said there are some important projects that were given approval in this budget, such as a new Holly library branch to open in 2021, a long-awaited new facility for southwest Barrie residents. To be located in leased space in a commercial plaza in the Mapleton Avenue/Essa Road area, the Holly branch will be about 4,500 square feet in size.
The city is also moving forward with constructing the Allandale Transit Mobility Hub at the Allandale Waterfront GO Station. It is to provide transit services and connections between Simcoe County, Muskoka and the Greater Toronto Area. Barrie Transit’s route system and schedules would also be adjusted accordingly when the hub is built.
“There will also be new transit routes and buses to service the growth in the south end,” Lehman said. “The transit customer experience will be improved in 2021 through mobile apps and/or smart cards.
“The city is also modernizing parking in 2021,” he added. “A new parking app will be launched making it more convenient for people to pay for parking, and going digital for passes.”
And the city is still spending on roads in 2021. Some of the larger projects include the completion of Bryne Drive from Caplan Avenue to Harvie Road.
“This is needed to reduce traffic congestion at the Essa Road and Mapleview Drive interchanges by redirecting east/west traffic to the Harvie Road/Big Bay Point Road highway crossing,” Lehman said.
Essa Road, from Coughlin Road to Mapleview Drive West, will be expanded to five lanes to accommodate traffic growth. And a number of construction projects are planned to upgrade infrastructure in some of Barrie’s older neighbourhoods.
“Bell Farm Road reconstruction is starting this year, we’re continuing our focus on maintaining the good condition of our roads and saving money over the long term with our road resurfacing program (worth $4.75 million this year),” Lehman said. “Harvie Road bridge will be finished. There are a number of storm-pond projects that will protect people, property and the environment.”
Wastewater rates this year have been frozen at 2020 rates, and the average water bill is increasing by about 2.48 per cent or by $8.83 in a typical home that consumes 180 cubic metres annually. It brings 2021 annual water rates to $364.83 on that typical home, and $507 for sewer, for a total of almost $872.
“There will be a new program to support low income residents with water bills if needed,” Lehman said.
City staff have been asked to begin work on a new, lower tax class which can bring down taxes for startups and small business.
“And we will be looking at taking advantage of lower borrowing rates to advance strategic projects, including the supportive housing project tentatively approved by (councillors) in the wee hours of the (Wednesday) morning,” Lehman said.
It’s a proposed $3-million, supportive modular housing project on the city’s old fire hall property on Vespra Street. The units would be designed for one person, 450-500 square feet in size, stackable and cost about $195,000 each.
City council is scheduled to consider final approval of all these projects at its Jan. 25 meeting.
