On Monday December 10, 2018, Corner Brook City Council approved the 2019 Municipal Budget.

Revenues and expenditures for the 2019 budget are balanced at  $35,747,900.  This represents an increase of just $693,800 or 1.98% over our 2018 budget (less than inflation). Council has reduced growth in spending while meeting the City’s expanding service levels.

Increased City Costs:

Increased costs associated with Garbage Collection account for $261,700 or 38% of this budget increase.

Taxes:

• There will be no change in commercial property taxes or business taxes. As requested by the board of the Downtown Business Association, the 10% levy on business tax for business in the downtown business improvement area will not be charged in 2019.
• Residential property taxes increase by 4.33%. This is based on an average assessed value decrease of 3.83% and a mil rate increase to 8.25 (from 7.5).
• Single family homes will see an average annual increase of $74, properties with 2 units will see an $80 increase, while properties with 3-10 units will see an average $492 increase.
• Water-There will be no change unit charges or wastewater levies.
• Phasing out of the poll tax–in 2019, the income exemption limit will increase by $10,000 to $32,500.

New Initiatives:

Tourism:

• The City-sponsored working group consisting mostly of tourism operators has begun work on a tourism strategy for the Bay of Islands and Lower Humber Valley region.
• The City is strengthening its commitment to develop our tourism sector by creating a new Tourism Officer position.

Recreation:

• The City has commenced engineering work on the new Jubilee Field clubhouse and has made the project the #1 priority for its capital funding request for 2018.
• Conceptual design work and costing will commence on a new Regional Aquatics facility – Grenfell Campus.

Public Works Improvements:

• The City will be leasing two additional loaders and purchasing one new “Bobcat” skid-steer loader to assist with street and sidewalk snow clearing operations.
• We will be conducting more winter asphalt repairs with recently acquired asphalt reclaimer and hotbox.

More Information:

For more details please also see the 2019 Budget Summary and the Budgets and Financial Statements   the entire budget speech can be viewed at YouTube

CONTACTS:

Bonita Decaire
Information Officer ⁞ City of Corner Brook
709-637-1662 ⁞ bdecaire@cornerbrook.com