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East Gwillimbury Council Unanimously Approves 1% Budget Increase on Town Portion of Property Taxes for 2022 

(East Gwillimbury, ON) December 15, 2021 – At its December 14 meeting, East Gwillimbury Council unanimously approved the 2022 Business Plan and Budget along with a 0% tax increase on existing programs and services and a 1% increase to support operating the Health and Active Living Plaza and additional front-line operations staff.  

Council deliberated the budget over two days, November 22 and 24, where staff presented Operating and Capital Budget forecasts, which were driven by Council’s mandate for a zero percent property tax levy increase. 

“Council recognizes that COVID-19 continues to have a financial impact on East Gwillimbury residents and businesses,” said Mayor Virginia Hackson. ”That’s why we continue to prioritize the needs of our community and ensure that East Gwillimbury delivers the exceptional services that residents expect, at the lowest cost.”  

The operating budget which is comprised of $28.3M from property taxes and $4.9M from development and fees, will continue to support vital town services including waste collection, recreation and library programs, road and sidewalk maintenance, and parks/trail operations.  

The approved $22.8M Capital Budget includes $3.4M for the East Townline Bridge Rehabilitation project, $1.2M for road rehabilitation work, funds for equipment and fleet replacement and building upgrades and funding for modernization initiatives such as a new Customer Relationship Management software to track service requests and provide real time information to staff and residents. 

The Capital Budget also includes $10M in funding to advance the Health and Active Living Plaza project. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $67.3M over the next four years (2022-2025) with the majority of funding coming from development charges and reserves. Council approved a dedicated 1% tax levy increase to support operating the facility once it is complete, which equates to approximately $20 on the average home. 

“I applaud staff for bringing forward a Budget and Business Plan that puts the community first and amplifies a culture of continuous improvement and innovation,” said Mayor Hackson. “The 2022 Budget keeps EG at the lowest relative taxes in York Region, maintains service levels, uses technology to improve service delivery and prepares us for the future.”  

East Gwillimbury taxes make up approximately 40% of the residential tax bill. The remaining 60% is comprised of York Region and school board taxes. 

For details about the 2022 Budget, visit www.eastgwillimbury.ca/budget