Martensville City Council formally approved the 2023 Operating and Capital Budgets at the February 21st, 2023, Regular Council Meeting. Over the past number of months, City Council has reviewed and deliberated over the budget with efforts to maintain current service levels a top priority, while managing rising costs.
The City has budgeted for a 3% increase in total property tax revenue. The average homeowner in Martensville with an assessed value of $335,000 will see an estimated increase to their municipal property taxes of $5.75 per month. Increases in property taxes are attributed to several factors for 2023 including a significant increase in the cost of contracted services with the RCMP and the overall rising costs of goods and services.
The City also continues to work towards the new multipurpose recreation facility as committed in 2020. Construction is underway and will be funded through allocated reserves, long-term borrowing, fundraising and the Investing In Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the grant approved by the Federal and Provincial governments in 2022.
In 2023, the City will invest just over $33 million in capital projects including: $25 million for the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre, $5.1 million in water and wastewater upgrades through the New Build Canada Fund; $1 million on roadway upgrades and maintenance; and $800,000 on upgrades and improvements in parks, sports fields, and playgrounds. The City has also allocated funds towards a study evaluating the development of a future temporary pedestrian overpass with the Ministry of Highways to the west side of Highway 12.
“This year’s budget was very much a challenge,” says Mayor Kent Muench. “On one side it provided some great opportunities, specifically around the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre and the progression of the water and wastewater project with the City of Saskatoon. On the other hand, we are seeing the challenges around rising costs of goods and servicing such as policing. We still aim to maintain and even increase service levels while keeping increases at or below 3% over the last 4 consecutive budgets.”
For more information on the 2023 Capital and Operating Budgets, along with departmental highlights, visit our website at: https://www.martensville.ca/pages/budgets__finances.html