THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay's city council made several significant moves Monday, limiting municipal tax levy increases in 2022, shoring up a strained paramedic service with additional resources, and giving the go-ahead to a new parking payment system.
Parking system modernized
Residents will be able to pay for municipal parking spots and tickets via a smartphone app starting later this year, after council approved a contract with U.S.-based Passport Labs on Tuesday.
The app will allow users to extend meter sessions from their phones among other conveniences, but also comes with new user fees.
EMS expansion
Council approved an expansion of ambulance service in the City of Thunder Bay in the face of what Superior North EMS Chief Wayne Gates described as daunting challenges in maintaining service levels in the city.
The paramedic service experiences occurrences of "code black" daily, Gates said – times when there are no remaining ambulance teams available to deploy.
Council approved an expansion of two ambulances currently operating eight hours a day, five days a week to now operate 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The estimated $535,000 annual cost will be shared 50 per cent by the province, 40 per cent by the City of Thunder Bay, and 10 per cent by other district municipalities.
Council sets 2022 budget direction
Council moved to limit the tax levy increase, giving direction to city administration as staff prepare the draft 2022 city budget.
Council voted 9-2 to set a target of a 2.25 per cent increase to the municipal tax levy next year.
Administration had recommended an increase of 2.75 per cent, with city manager Norm Gale saying that would still leave the city struggling to maintain service levels and infrastructure needs.
Mayor Bill Mauro argued it was council's role to push staff to find savings, moving an amendment to limit the levy increase to 2.25 per cent that passed on a 7-4 vote.
Ban Against Conversion Therapy
Council unanimously passed a motion denouncing so-called conversion therapy, pledging to advocate for Bill C-6, federal legislation that would ban the practice for children and introduce consent requirements for adults.
With the bill stalled in the Senate, council also directed staff to examine ways the city itself could prevent the practice via municipal bylaws.
Budget variance report
A second quarter budget variance report projects the city could finish the year millions of dollars ahead of its tax-supported budget.
The report projected a favourable variance of $3.9 million by the end of 2021, due in large part to settlement of tax assessment appeals, as well as lower than budgeted utility costs with reduced demand.
Due to higher-than-expected provincial and federal support, the impact of COVID-19 on city coffers is expected to be only $700,000 in 2021, which will be drawn from the city's stabilization reserve fund.
