Peel passes budget with 3.9% increase

Peel Regional Council approved the 2007 current and capital budget that contains an operating budget of $1.3 billion; a tax rate increase of 3.9% or $57 per average household; and a 9.2% or $30 per average household increase to the water and wastewater utility rate.

The approved 2007 capital budget to maintain, build and enhance infrastructure is $722.3 million.

The proposed budget was first presented to council at the Jan. 18, general committee meeting. As part of the budget approval process, council received high-level presentations from each regional department, Peel Regional Police, Caledon Ontario Provincial Police and the conservation authorities.

"Council carefully deliberates its budgetary options to make critical service level decisions," said Peel CAO David Szwarc. "As a result, the Region of Peel can now work with a budget that is well-balanced, sustainable and focused on providing residents in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga with quality programs and services that will continue to meet their needs - and still remain debt-free."

Of the 3.9% tax rate increase, 1.4% will be allocated to police services, 1.6% to support other regional services; and 0.9% for the Region's share of provincially downloaded programs.

Key service level enhancements include:

C o n s e r v a t i o n Authorities: In addition to the original $12 million budgeted for funding conservation authorities in Peel, council has directed $2.5 million more to each of the Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority for a number of initiatives:

* Preliminary global warming response, with enhanced funding for flooding and erosion control; water quality and quantity; and ecosystems.

* Real-time cameras to monitor flood-prone Cooksville Creek in southern Mississauga.

* 10,000 large stock trees planted by CVC with the help of Mississauga and Brampton high school students, on top of the 40,000 trees planted annually by the CVC.

In total, $17 million in funding will go to conservation authority operations in Peel in 2007.

Police services:

* 23 additional frontline officers to maintain existing services for a growing population base (19 Peel Regional Police; 4 Caledon OPP officers).

* 34 additional officers to deal with service demands in bike patrol; divisional traffic; investigative areas including fraud, special victims and central robbery; and a third homicide team.

Regional services (directly controlled by the Region of Peel):

* 19,272 additional paramedic hours and a hospital medic program pilot to reduce the impact of hospital delays.

* 8,000 additional TransHelp trips.

* 542 more cases for Ontario Works for a total of 10,400 per month.

* Introduction of the Organics Recycling program.

* Management of waste tonnage growth of 2.4%.

* A new Public Health program to deal with youth violence.

Tax-supported programs provided by the Region of Peel include: roads; waste management; Ontario Works; TransHelp; children's services; Public Health; long-term care; regional planning; housing policy and programs; heritage programs, and paramedic and emergency services.

"This budget is a credit to regional councillors and outlines their commitment to serve Peel residents now and future generations," said chair Emil Kolb. "The Region is experiencing significant growth, and we will continue to press the Province of Ontario to meet its responsibility to provide the necessary funding to help municipalities manage the cost of growth."

For more information on Peel's 2007 budget, visit peelregion.ca/finance.