Work on first draft of Municipal Budget underway

Tim Brody - Editor

The first draft of the 2022 Municipal Budget is expected to be presented to Sioux Lookout Municipal Council on Monday, Dec. 13, at 5:30 p.m. People will be able to tune into the meeting via Zoom.

Municipal Treasurer Carly Collins said that department managers have been working on their capital and operating budgets since the beginning of October.

She added that the “Budget process will be very similar to last year.  The 2022 Budget will be presented to Council through Zoom, after that meeting the public will be allowed to make comments on the 1st draft through email:  [email protected].  Answers to the public’s questions will then be addressed at the next budget meeting.

Asked about any challenges or opportunities that may impact the 2022 budget, Collins shared, “MPAC has released a notice stating that property assessments for the 2022 and 2023 taxation years will continue to be based on the January 1, 2016, valuation date. Property assessments will remain the same as they were for the 2021 tax year, unless there have been changes to the property.  This will have an impact on the 2022 Operating Budget.  Not having an increase in taxation revenue for the second year in a row, will make it very hard for staff to manage their budget due to the fact that the economy is opening up and that certain non-discretionary costs are increasing.”

“The Municipality is working very hard to make sure that all services levels remain the same during this time,” she added.  

The Municipality is hoping to have an approved budget in January 2022 for formal passing at the February 2022 Council meeting.