Collingwood budget passed with under 3 per cent tax increase

Councillors in Collingwood have officially approved the budget for 2023.
At Monday night's meeting, council gave the green light to the budget, which comes with a 2.7 per cent increase in property taxes. The town says that equates to approximately $5.30 for the average household in Collingwood.
"Many people are struggling in our community as the price of almost everything continues to rise," Mayor Yvonne Hamlin said in a news release. "With inflation over 6%, we worked hard to keep the property tax rate increase affordable, while still ensuring that our Town is a wonderful place to live, work and play."
According to the town, the key priorities of the budget include $225,000 in top-up funds to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund and continuing to maintain the same level of programs and services.
Altogether the budget includes $ 66.7 million in operating expenses and $ 63.3 million in capital expenses.
The town will also be investing in various community spaces, including local arenas, as well as a $500,000 investment in the ongoing revitalization of the grain terminals.
"Council and Staff also want to ensure we plan for our community's future in a fiscally responsible way," Monica Quinlan, a treasurer, said in a news release. "This includes planning for the future and caring for our assets in a manner that is responsible and cost-effective."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

'No one else has done this on the planet': Guilbeault insists emissions cap delay is due to novelty
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault says the delay in announcing details of his government’s proposed oil and gas sector emissions cap is due to its uniqueness and to wanting to get it right.
Buckingham Palace releases this year’s Christmas card
Buckingham Palace released an image of the Christmas card that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be sending out this year.
Canada has a secretive history of adoption, and some want it brought to light
In a theatre in St. John's, N.L., a murmur spreads through the audience as people timidly raise their hands. They have been asked if they saw their own stories reflected in the film they just watched -- 'A Quiet Girl.'
Trump dismisses warnings that his victory would threaten democracy and says Biden is the real threat
Former President Donald Trump on Saturday characterized warnings that his victory in 2024 would represent a threat to democracy as a 'hoax' and 'Democrat misinformation.'
In inaugural speech, Argentina's Javier Milei prepares nation for painful shock adjustment
It wasn't the most uplifting of inaugural addresses. Rather, Argentina's newly empowered President Javier Milei presented figures to lay bare the scope of the nation's economic 'emergency,' and sought to prepare the public for a shock adjustment with drastic public spending cuts.
'People are confused': Survey suggests Canadians need education on Charter rights
While one-third of Canadians say they have read the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, many fail to distinguish between its text and that of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, a new survey suggests.
Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones
Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out in favour of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
A gigantic new ICBM will take U.S. nuclear missiles out of the Cold War-era but add 21st-century risks
The $96 billion Sentinel overhaul involves 450 silos across five states, their control centres, three nuclear missile bases and several other testing facilities. The project is so ambitious it has raised questions as to whether the Air Force can get it all done at once.
Tennessee residents clean up after severe weekend storms killed 6 people and damaged neighbourhoods
Central Tennessee residents and emergency workers cleaned up Sunday from severe weekend storms and tornadoes that killed six people and sent more to the hospital while damaging buildings, turning over vehicles and knocking out power to tens of thousands.