King Township approves 2022 budget

The Township of King has approved a 0.75-per-cent increase for additional service enhancements in the Township’s portion of the 2022 Budget, maintaining the base tax increase of zero per cent.

King’s operating budget for 2022 is $47.3 million and the capital budget is $56.4 million for a total budget of $103.7 million. Township Council approved the budget at a Council meeting on Nov. 15. The average increase for the Township portion of municipal tax is 1.11 per cent between 2018 and 2022.

The budget presentation details are posted on King’s website at king.ca/budget. The Township reached out to residents for their input, hosting an online public information session and gathering input through an online survey before proposing the increase to Council.

Council directed staff to keep the 2022 increase as close as possible to zero per cent to continue supporting taxpayers during the pandemic, while still offering quality services.

What Township Taxes Fund

The Township portion of King’s annual property tax funds operating budgets to fund current service levels, programs, and services as well as capital infrastructure. This includes snow removal from roads and sidewalks, road and bridge repairs and maintenance, fire and emergency services, parks, arenas, facilities and library branches.

Here are some budget highlights.

Major Capital Projects

Funding for these projects was approved in the 2022 Budget.

• Township-Wide Recreation Centre: $75.8 million (2018-2024), Federal/Provincial contribution: $38.8 million
• Bridge and Culvert Rehabilitation: $2 million a year
• Tasca Community Park, Phase 2: $1.4 million
• Cold Creek Conservation Area Restoration: $650,000
• Osin Community Park: $542,000
• Trail Development: $200,000 (2022 and 2023)

Quotes

Mayor Steve Pellegrini

“At King Township, we recognize the challenges taxpayers have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why Council instructed staff to find a way to achieve a zero-per-cent tax impact in the Township portion of the 2022 budget with 0.75 per cent in service enhancements. Our King team responded with a budget that continues to offer a great quality of life here in King.

Our Township has a tradition of keeping the Township portion of taxes low. King leads the way in the GTA with an average 1.11-per-cent increase over the past five years.”

Daniel Kostopoulos
CAO, Township of King

“I am pleased with how our Finance team and all departments found savings to support our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, approving a zero-per-cent increase in 2021 and maintaining the base tax increase of zero per cent for 2022.

This will increasingly be a challenge as we experience the impact of record-breaking inflation rates of more than four per cent. The Township is facing increasing costs in the materials we buy, construction project costs, daily operation that includes fuel and electricity, and the decreased availability and increased costs of buying or renting vehicles for Township business.

We will need to fully assess the impact of inflation on Township services and ensure we are prepared for the future.”