City budget talks lined up for next week
Money matters are the focus of a series of special council committee meetings next week.
Items up for discussion include the city’s 2026 Water & Wastewater Operating Budget and calculated water rates.
The sessions are scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 6 pm in the council chambers.
A staff report says the water and wastewater budget proposes a 5.27% increase to be collected through water and wastewater rates.
They say the $1.4 million increase is ‘necessary to sustain operations’ and is driven by a combination of factors being seen across the province.
Some include legislated requirements, inflationary pressures, supply chain challenges, capital investment needs, rising costs in utilities, insurance, and more.
It’s also recommended that water rates continue to be 40% variable and 60% fixed.
“According to the 2024 BMA Municipal Study, North Bay ranks 4th lowest in total residential water/wastewater rate costs among 11 Northern Ontario municipalities,” states the staff report.
It goes on to say the annual cost for 200 m³ consumption is $1,213.
That’s $311 below the Northern average and $180 below the Ontario average.
Richard Coffinhttps://www.mynorthbaynow.com/Richard Coffin has been a reporter and news anchor on the radio in North Bay for over 25 years. From premiers to people in the neighbourhood, he enjoys connecting with newsmakers and writing stories that matter to area listeners on a variety of topics including healthcare, education, politics, sports and more.
