At the dawn of a new year, Northumberland County’s top politician says increased housing needs, growing roadwork and infrastructure requirements, and a better funding model to support those two demands are top of mind when he ponders the months ahead.
Newly elected Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander, who is also the mayor of the Municipality of Brighton, recently spoke with kawarthaNOW about what he sees as the key challenges and issues for Northumberland County in 2024.
The ability to appropriately fund county services and Northumberland’s infrastructure requirements is his primary concern.
“The main challenge is how do we fund services and infrastructure that are seeing 13/14/15 per cent construction price increases on a four per cent budget (increase), and the reality is, we have to figure that out,” Ostrander said.
“Because what we can’t do, is go to the good people of Northumberland County for 10 per cent or 12 per cent (more).”
Northumberland County recently approved its budget, with a tax increase of around 6.5 per cent. That percentage includes a one per cent dedicated infrastructure levy for work on county roads and bridges and other infrastructure.
It also includes a one per cent housing levy to support affordable and subsidized housing units across Northumberland County.
“We have a wait list that is impactful. We need to get people housed,” the warden said.
The budget, how to keep pace with — or at least not get behind — roadwork and infrastructure projects, and how to keep acquiring land in various communities across Northumberland County for subsidized housing purposes, will be key in the months ahead, Ostrander noted.
“The answer is all the same. We need a better funding model that doesn’t rely so heavily on the regressive property tax system that we have to live with. We have no choice, but those conversations, which have been happening since I joined municipal council 20 years ago, I think need to be elevated, especially at the upper-tier level where we’re dealing with a lot of soft services, not linear projects.”
It’s about more than roadwork and infrastructure, the warden explained. Social services, such as housing and emergency medical services/paramedics, “were never intended to be funded through a property tax system.”
“Kudos where they belong — the provincial government has funded those.”
However, he points to the example of buying a new land ambulance and hiring new staff. Fifty per cent of that cost is covered by the provincial government and the other 50 per cent is borne by the taxpayer.
“Then we get the money the next year to fund (the entire endeavour). We just need a better funding model,” Ostrander said.
“This will come as no surprise to anyone at the provincial level that a mayor or a warden is asking for this. We have an incredibly good partnership with our provincial friends. We just need to continue those conversations.”
When asked to consider what he’s most excited about for 2024, Ostrander shared his thoughts on a few key projects and issues. Hear more from the Northumberland County warden in an upcoming story in kawarthaNOW.
