West Lincoln Council approves 2025 budget

At its February 24 meeting, Township Council passed West Lincoln’s 2025 Budget, which supports just over $10 million in capital and special projects, to be completed this year, and approximately $23.6 million in operating expenditures funded by property taxes, user fees, grants and reserve transfers.

The Township budget is supported with a general tax levy of $10,255,120, a hospital levy of $206,900 for the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital and an Urban Service Area levy of $186,320, the last of which did not change from 2024. Together, these levies represent a 4.31 per cent increase over 2024, after factoring in assessment growth. This is down from the preliminary 7.21 per cent increase, presented at the January Council meeting.

What does this mean for you?

For an average single detached home in West Lincoln, based on 2016 property assessments, the increase in the local share of taxes is estimated at $71.26 ($5.94 per month) in the urban area and $72.08 ($6.01 per month) in the rural area. Since the Urban Service Area levy did not change in 2025, residents in the Urban Service Area of Smithville will pay, on average, $0.82 less in 2025 than they did in 2024.

Investments

West Lincoln’s 2025 budget provides funding for enhanced service levels to prepare for growth while also continuing to build reserves and supporting investments in Township infrastructure. Capital Budget projects include:

• $70,000 for a Growth Fiscal Impact Study
• $15,000 for an Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan Study
• $1,000,000 for a replacement Fire Pumper Rescue Truck
• $1,200,000 towards resurfacing Silverdale Road, from Twenty Mile Road to Regional Road 20
• $300,000 towards the Design of the Spring Creek Road extension, from Hornak Road to South Grimsby Road 5
• $4,698,750 total for the St. Ann’s Road Reconstruction project, which includes $3,148,750 to reconstruct St. Ann’s Road, from Twenty Mile Road to Regional Road 20, $650,000 to rehabilitate St. Ann’s Bridge, $200,000 to replace sidewalks and $700,000 for a new storm system
• $150,000 to complete a detailed design of the redevelopment of Wellandport Park and shoreline enhancements

The Township is committed to an open budget process and to providing information in an easy-to-understand format. OpenBook presents budget data using charts, tables, graphs and maps.

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Quote:

“This budget represents months of work by many staff members, led professionally and diligently by our Finance team. In this age of escalating costs, we know many people are concerned about making ends meet. This is always at the forefront of our minds whenever we deal with budget matters, and I think that is evident in our efforts to whittle the increase down to 4.31 per cent. We managed to develop a budget that meets service needs and sets the Township up for prosperity without overburdening our taxpayers. On behalf of Council, I would like to thank staff for their hard work and collaboration. And as Mayor, I would like to commend my colleagues on Council for their commitment to our community.”

Mayor Cheryl Ganann