The City of Pembroke has officially adopted their 2024 municipal budget and rate payers will be feeling a pinch. The budget reflects a levy increase after growth of 7.94 per cent. Overall, in 2024, a Pembroke property owner with an average residential assessment of $179,000 will be paying $296 more this year in combined property taxes, garbage, waste, water and sewer fees. Mayor Ron Gervais tells myFM news that the bulk of tax dollars will be spent on a number of projects.
That’s in addition to water, waste water rates. Mayor Ron Gervais tells myFM news that a new agreement with Laurentian Valley will help keep the water system up to par.
When it comes to water services, for the average residential taxpayer, this translates to an anticipated additional cost of $6.37 more per month, or $76.44 per year for water and sewer in 2024. The Mayor goes on to say that money is also set aside for the Kinsmen Pool.
The 2024 budget includes $31.6M of capital projects for road work, sidewalk repairs, parks, and facilities, along with continued upgrades to the City’s water and sewer system.
Some of the key infrastructure projects planned for 2024 include water works on Bennett Street ($2.4M) with funding from the joint federal-provincial Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) Green Stream; finalization of the twinning of the Townline sanitary sewer forcemain ($8.3M); reconstruction of Moffat Street from Pembroke Street West to Renfrew Street ($1.5M); road resurfacing on Arnold’s Lane, Crandall Street (Pembroke Street West to Cecil Street), Maple Avenue (Metcalfe Street to Hunter Street), and Thompson Street (Eganville Road to Horace Street) ($517,000); works at the Water Purification Plant including filters, launderers, and undertile drains ($3.1M) and backwash tank forcemain and pump overhaul ($1.1M); Riverside Park field drainage ($250,000); replacement of marina fuel tanks and pumps ($200,000); and chiller replacement at the Pembroke Memorial Centre ($65,000).
Breaking down the 2024 budget by service categories, every $1 of municipal taxes is estimated to go towards: County of Renfrew/shared services — $0.21; policing — $0.18; road operations – $0.17; fire protection – $0.15; parks and recreation – $0.13; capital project financing taxation – $0.09; general government, strategic partners, and other – $0.03; planning building and bylaw – $0.02; and economic development, tourism and culture – $0.02.
(Written by: Kyle Robinson)