Residents get their say as city councillors begin examining proposed $538M budget for 2024

City staff, the mayor, and city councillorsin Thunder Bayare gathering public feedback ahead of budget deliberations over the next month.

The proposed $538-million municipal budget, released last week, includes a 5.5 per cent tax levy the amount the city needs from taxpayers to fund city services and capital infrastructure programs.

Facing inflationary pressures and a growing infrastructure deficit in the ballpark of $30 million, it will be another tough round of choices.

While city manager Norm Gale saidthere are no cuts to programs and services in the books, it's up to council to strike a balance between competing interest groups looking to get their projects pushed ahead.

About 75 people attended a public Q&A session at the Victoria Inn Thursday night. City staff set up information booths, and residents could ask them questions and voice their concerns. Gale says it's the first time the event has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's kind of like a check-in for us, too," he said. "I'm walking around listening to people and people give me their ideas so it really helps us."

The feedback gathered Thursday night will be put into a memo and presented to city council before budget deliberations begin next week.

With representatives from each city department on hand, conversations covered everything from active transportation and infrastructure to parking prices and development.

Making the city more accessible

One project that didn't make the list for 2024 is the long-awaited Vickers Carrick Multi-Use Trail Bridge. The proposed bridge over the Neebing McIntyre Floodway is part of the city's Active Transportation Master Plan, and would connect the city's north and south sides.

While funding for the bridge's design was approved by council last year and construction was anticipated to begin in 2024, this year's proposed budget earmarks the $2.4-million project for 2026.

"Meanwhile cycling is increasing, winter cycling is increasingand Memorial Avenue is a disaster for cyclists," said Thunder Bay resident Cindy Long.

As the city looks to add 21,00 new homes in the next three years, Long saidshe wants council to prioritize projects that build on existing infrastructure within the city's core. With such anticipated growth, she saidactive transportation will become more important than ever.

"It reduces parking problems. It's healthy. It's really safe, if you do it rightand if you don't do it properly, it's really unsafe for cyclists," she said.

For those who get around the city by car, the parking authority's new financial plan has been met with criticism,particularly the addition of parking meters at the marina.

While council has already endorsed the plan, which aims to make parking self-sustaining by increasing parking rates and closing underutilized lots, several residents spoke out against paid parking at the waterfront, saying it should remain a space for people of all ages and incomes to enjoy.

"We're willing to have our taxes increase if that's what it takes," said Liz Poulin. "We have put our tax dollars into building [the marina] into what it is now and we want to be able to use it and not be penalized with trying to figure out whether we put enough money into the parking meter or not."

Councillors voted to reduce the marina parking fee from $3 an hour to $2, but resident Maxine Lorentson saidthe city shouldn't assume those who can afford a vehicle can also afford to pay for parking.

While she saidspeaking with city staff Thursday night helped her better understand the changes being made, she and her friends are still committed to removing the marina meters, which are expected to be added June 1.

Keeping services sustainable

While the 5.5 per cent tax levy is a jump from 4.4 per cent last year, Katrina O'Neill saidhigher taxes don't worry her too much.

"I'm not concerned about my taxes going up per se, as long as I know that what I'm paying for is what's really needed," said the owner of Sew Flippin' Creations. "My concern is that some of these departments aren't getting what they really need to operate."

O'Neill said it's important for residents to recognize the resources that are required to keep the city functioning.

"We can't be fighting against them because I don't want to pay another $200 a year when really, what is that to me, right? When I know that our police are keeping us safe, that there's fire services, that there's resources for underprivileged children," she said.

"We have to make sure that people are getting what they need," O'Neill said.

While she would have liked to see a wider diversity of people at the public session, she encourages others to become informed about the budget process.

"Don't sit on social media, don't be on Facebook, don't be on Reddit come down here and meet the people who are making those decisions," O'Neill said.

Councillors will begin reviewing the budget next week before final ratification on Feb. 12.

City manager Gale encouragepeople to reach out to city officials in person, over the phone or online, to make their voices heard.