City Hall

Spring flooding caused around $3 million in infrastructure damage in 2022, highlighting a need to adapt city infrastructure for an era of greater climate risks.

Thunder Bay’s city council heard an update on a major redesign of north core streets Monday, and awarded nearly $3 million to local non-profits.

The Shelter House will see a major drop in funding through the city’s Community, Youth & Cultural Funding Program, while the art gallery and Community Auditorium are in for significant increases.

User fees for services like transit, city pools, and ice time rentals are set to increase by 3% to 5% on average in 2023.

City council will be asked to approve over $670,000 in additional costs for the final phase of a major reconstruction of Balmoral Street, though the work will still come in below the city's initial $10 million estimate.

Mayor Ken Boshcoff says he’ll look to “hold the line” on the 2023 tax levy increase at two per cent, while others city councillors say they’re more focused on avoiding service cuts.

The draft 2023 budget prepared by city administration includes a historically high tax levy increase more than double the one approved in 2022.

A recommendation to add a new managerial position dealing with risk management at an annual cost of $125,000 proved to be a hard sell for some city councillors.

Thunder Bay’s city council debated next steps on indoor turf, Fort William Stadium upgrades, and whether to close a local skating pond on Monday.

City council authorized $170,000 in spending to assess a proposal from Soccer Northwest Ontario to build an indoor turf centre adjacent to the Canada Games Complex and Community Auditorium.