Special weekend Barrie city council meeting focused on cutting costs
Barrie city councillors gathered for a special Saturday meeting to discuss ways to curb the city's spending over the coming decade.
Councillors recently received long-term financial projections detailing what the city would have to spend to complete all of the projects on the table.
"When we received that forecast, the number was very, very large, about an $8-billion capital plan over the next 20 years," says Mayor Lehman. "To be frank, council can't afford, or the city can't afford that unless we were to raise taxes substantially, and we don't want to do that."
So councillors gathered in person Saturday, voting to defer approximately $260-million from that $8-billion capital plan in planned spending. While it only equates to 3 per cent, the mayor says it is large enough to impact the bottom line.
"That 3 per cent makes a surprising difference because by pushing things and doing them more slowly we can afford to pay for more of them with the existing revenue that the city receives; that means less debt, it means lower tax increases in the future," says the mayor.
The mayor says the decision on the table today was deferring projects that, while wanted, are not necessarily deemed as essential right now. This includes delaying road-widening due to slower than anticipated growth in the population and pushing back planned construction of a new recreation centre.
"You always want to do more," says Lehman. "What you have to make sure is that you absolutely don't delay the ones that must be done, and then you can get into can we do a good job of doing the things that we should."
Council is next set to pour over the 2022 budget, with the ratification expected in early December.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.