2024 is shaping up to be an exciting year for the City of Corner Brook. Despite challenging economic realities, The City will be able to both maintain, and improve on, services for the coming fiscal year. The City has been able to do this while balancing its budget at a sum of $39,197,890 (1,783,505, or 4.7% more than 2023) without an exorbitant increase of costs to residents. This is despite the rising costs of services, a large part of which is due to water treatment. As such, the water levy will increase by $50 for residential properties, and $60 for commercial properties.
The City recognizes this is a challenging time for many. With this in mind, the mil rate will be lowered for residential taxes by a quarter to 8 mils for 2024. This should offset the average increases from inflationary pressure.
Assessments for most commercial properties were not impacted in the same way that residential properties have been. Therefore, there is no change in the commercial property tax rate. It was noted that assessment have actually decreased for some business categories, including Banks/Financial Institutions, Insurance Companies, Department Stores, Grocery Stores, and Large Retail Stores. Consequently, the mil rate has been increased for these categories to bring their taxes to, at least, last year’s level. Also, the discount deadline for business taxes will now be the same as residential taxes on February 29th, 2024.
While implementing all of these measures, we also recognize that The City has seen exceptional economic development. Indeed, 2023 has been a banner year for such economic health markers as construction. Construction value has increased 9% over 2022. The outlook is high, and this budget is designed by council and staff to maintain the upward momentum.
Key initiatives:
In 2024, The City will be investing heavily in quality of life as well as necessary infrastructure.
- The Mill Whistler Train is a huge success and more than pays for itself in covering the costs of maintenance and staff, however like any vehicle in our fleet it is aging. As such we will be purchasing a new street train in 2024.
- The second phase of the Great Trail Expansion will take place on the eastern end of Corner Brook just past the port, making a fully accessible 13km waterfront shared use path for walkers, runners, cyclists and other recreational users.
- The City has set aside funds in order to build a safer intersection at the Confederation Drive exit of the Corner Brook Plaza.
- A new storm sewer will be tendered for the Deep Gulch river, underneath the intersection of O’Connell Drive, Mount Bernard and University Avenue.
- The City will be cleaning out the so-called “Curling dump” on the waterfront of Griffin Drive. Once this is cleared, it will be beautified and made into a scenic park destination.
- Curling Street will get a necessary new retaining wall.
- The City’s Public Works team will get a new asphalt reclaimer, doubling its capacity for pothole repairs as well as a new snowblower for its winter fleet.
The City will also be setting aside a specific line-item budget for downtown clean-up and beautification. We are, additionally, acting on a commitment to improve leak detection in our civic infrastructure. Water is costly, so leaks are costly, and we aim to find these deficiencies as soon as possible.
We are also looking forward to the completion of our regional recreational centre, which will provide valuable social and recreational opportunities for the residents of the Humber Valley and Bay of Islands region.
The City looks forward to maintaining a high quality of life for its residents in 2024 while also improving on several key points such as infrastructure upgrades and trail development.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Ryan Butt
Communications Officer
City of Corner Brook
Office: (709) 637-1662
Cell: (709) 632-8113
rbutt@cornerbrook.com
