Wellington County Council Adopts 2019 Budget
At this week’s Council meeting, Wellington County Council adopted its 2019 budget with a
2.8% increase to the County portion of property taxes.
“The 2019 County budget protects our top priorities and includes a capital investment plan that will renew and improve County infrastructure,” said Warden Kelly Linton. “This budget also continues to focus on enhancing key County services to all of our residents while providing incentives to encourage new jobs and investment.”
2019 Budget Highlights
- Investment in roads capital infrastructure and facilities over the next ten years, including $24.4 million for facility upgrades to fund the replacement of the Arthur, Erin, Brucedale and Harriston public works facilities
- The construction of a new ambulance station in Erin to improve response times
- Additional ambulance service enhancements include: a new 12 hour, 7 day shift in Fergus to improve response times and an additional supervisor to support to paramedics in the field
- Additional new 36 child care spaces for the newly expanded Palmerston Child Care and Learning Centre
- 64 new child care spaces at the new Wellington Place Child Care and Learning Centre which will open in Centre Wellington this Spring
- 49 new spaces in a licensed child care and early learning centre in Erin
- The County’s commitment to local hospitals continues in 2019 with $5.9 million to be distributed to: Groves Memorial Community Hospital ($5 million), Louise Marshall Hospital ($500,000) and Palmerston and District Hospital ($440,000)
- Community Improvement Plan Implementation Funding of $160,000 for local municipalities to provide financial incentives to help support local Community Improvement Plans and County-wide priorities
- Planning for the closure of Phase I and opening of Phase II at the Riverstown Landfill Site
- Continued investment in improvements to County owned social and affordable housing units
“County Council is continuing its long standing tradition of investing in infrastructure, essential programmes and services that make Wellington County a great place to live and do business,” commented Councillor Chris White, Chair of the County’s Administration, Finance and Human Resources Committee.
