County budget continues focus on economic growth and service delivery

Grey County residents can expect services to be delivered at the same high levels in 2019 with some additional investment in areas that will create the most benefit. County Council gave their first approval for the 2019 budget following at a special budget workshop on February 14. The budget is expected to be formally passed with a by-law at the next meeting of County Council on February 28.

“The 2019 budget continues to support our focus of growing the local economy, providing high quality services and supporting healthy and connected communities,” said Grey County Warden Selwyn Hicks. “Council and staff have worked together to ensure the 2019 budget is future focused and meets our operational needs at a cost that is reasonable to residents.”

Some highlights of the 2019 budget include:

• Developing a skills training, trades and innovation community hub in the former Sydenham School;
• Managing an additional 109 units of rent-geared-to-income housing in 2019, bringing our total stock to 997 units;
• Spending $1.1 million more compared to 2018 into our transportation services to improve the quality and maintenance of County roads, ensuring they are safe for the families and businesses who rely on them;
• Operating the new Chatsworth paramedic base, improving response times in the Chatsworth area;
• Continuing to save for the redevelopment of Rockwood Terrace in Durham

The net levy requirement in 2019 is $57.2 million, an increase of 1.75%. This increase equals $6.14 for every $100,000 of residential property assessment and comes in below the 2018 Ontario inflation rate of 2.3%, as reported by Statistics Canada.

Grey County delivers a wide range of services to residents.  The County maintains 877km of roads, operates three long-term-care homes with 316 beds, helps hundreds of families access affordable child care and provides affordable housing to families and individuals in most need.  Other public services include the administration of social service programs like Ontario Works, paramedic services, planning, economic development, tourism, heritage, Provincial Offences Administration (POA) and many more. 

Full draft budget details are available on Grey County’s website at www.Grey.ca/budget.

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For media inquiries contact Rob Hatten, Communications Manager, at rob.hatten [at] grey.ca (rob[dot]hatten[at]grey[dot]ca) or call 519-372-0219 ext.1235.