The Town of Hawkesbury's 2025 budget adopted, subject to revision
The Town of Hawkesbury's 2025 budget adopted, subject to revision
At the December 9th Town Council meeting, the 2025 budget was adopted, subject to an upcoming revision due to a recent announcement regarding the increase in costs related to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The Town’s current situation reflects the fiscal reality of many municipalities in Ontario, all facing similar challenges. It is essential to gain clarity on several aspects of the province’s offer of financial assistance to offset the increase in OPP costs. This information will need to be validated in order to make responsible decisions that will ensure a balanced budget for the Town and avoid negative repercussions for citizens in the years to come.
While some information remains incomplete, the budget needed to be adopted to prevent delays in the implementation of capital and operational projects, which are critical to maintaining the Town's service levels. A budget revision addressing only the province's contribution to offset OPP costs will be presented to Council in early 2025.
A transparent budget process
The Town would like to reassure its citizens that the budget process and the real impact of these decisions will be defined and communicated in a timely manner. In order to manage expectations, here is a timeline of the next steps to come with regards to the budget process:
January or February 2025: Budget will be revised and presented to Council.
March 2025: Property owners will receive their interim 2025 property tax bill, based on 2024 rates.
May 2025: the 2025 tax rates will be presented to Council. Communications will be disseminated at large explaining the real impact that will be felt on the final property tax bill.
September 2025: Property owners will receive the final 2025 property tax bill. This final bill will be adjusted according to the tax rate adopted in May 2025.
If you are interested to learn more about this topic, check out the resources portion of this news release below. We invite citizens to stay informed via the Town’s various platforms for the future communications that will be shared at large.
The Town of Hawkesbury’s administration would like to thank you for your understanding and continued commitment to building a resilient, sustainable and prosperous Hawkesbury.
Resources:
Watch the discussion about the adoption of the 2025 budget at the December 9 City Council meeting. Watch the discussion of items 6.2.2 and 6.2.3. about the costs associated with the OPP.
Consult the December 9th Council meeting agenda.
Visit the Finance and Tax Department’s webpage.