Regional Council approves 2.53 per cent tax increase

Waterloo Region – Regional Council approved the 2012 budget Wednesday.

The 2012 approved tax rate increase of 2.53 per cent is in line with inflation and also provides a number of essential service enhancements.

The Region is a major provider of essential community services including helping families, children and seniors, ensuring the safety of our drinking water, getting people to the hospital in emergencies, ensuring the availability of affordable housing, public transit, garbage and recycling collection, regional roads, planning for growth and supporting other vital community interests.

“We worked hard to ensure this year’s budget addresses essential issues. The 2.53 per cent increase will allow us to maintain service levels despite growth and increasing demands for service, while offering some critical enhancements to important Regional services,” said Tom Galloway, Regional Councillor and Chair of the Budget Committee.

In this year’s budget, the Region has invested in a number of new service enhancements including Children’s services, Emergency Medical Services (ambulance), poverty reduction initiatives, affordable transit and child care centres.  

“Regional staff worked diligently throughout the year to identify over $2.4 million in base budget reductions, which helped keep the tax rate increase as low as possible,” said Mike Murray, Chief Administrative Officer. “Demands for service are increasing due to population growth and this budget addresses these service needs, while maintaining reasonable property tax rates. I believe the 2012 budget provides good value for tax dollars considering the service enhancements it will bring to citizens.”

The increase of 1.23 per cent for Regional Services and 1.30 per cent for Police Services will impact the average household by $41. 

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For more information, please contact:

Ken Seiling, Regional Chair, 519-575-4585

Tom Galloway, Budget Committee Chair 519-575-4404 Ext. 3401

Angela Hinchberger, Acting Chief Financial Officer, 519-575-4728

The Region of Waterloo provides more than 60 per cent of municipal services to a growing population of 530,000 people. We are committed to creating an inclusive, thriving and sustainable community through innovative leadership and a range of services such as: public health, social services, planning, heritage, water supply, regional roads, waste management, ambulance service, rural libraries, public transit, community housing, emergency planning, Provincial Offences Courts and airport services.

Click on the attachment below for "Your tax dollars at work" Backgrounder