For Immediate Release

February 7, 2025

Proposed 2025 Operating and Capital Budgets Available for Public Review

The City of Yorkton has released its proposed 2025 budget, which includes an increase in total taxation revenue of $1,142,000 (or 3.9%).

The proposed budget includes the City’s plan to continue to invest in city assets and infrastructure improvements, while continuing to provide the same levels of services as the prior year. Key items affecting all departments include costs increases related to inflation and rising construction costs.

The breakdown of the proposed increase is:

• Capital – 1.84%
• Operations – 2.06%

This represents an increase of roughly $7.10 per month for property tax for the average homeowner, or roughly twice that for an equally valued commercial property.

With regards to the Water Utility, this budget includes the previously approved 2.33% increase to water rates as well as the $5 per month increase to the residential water base charge. Residents will see a total increase of approximately $6.17 per month towards their utility bills. This increase allows the City to manage its aging underground infrastructure.

Operating Budget Highlights (2.06%)

The proposed budget covers the same service delivery to residents and business as in the prior years. The primary driver of the operating budget increase is general inflation. As inflation sits around 2.5% or higher, this affects all the goods and services the City requires to operate. Electricity, power, fuel prices, insurance, wages and benefits, etc. are all key items included. Additionally the carbon tax that the City pays on utilities and fuel alone equals approximately 1% of all tax revenue, and continues to grow.

To offset inflationary items and carbon tax, the City looked for cost savings where possible, trimming operating line items, as well as increasing user fees across many recreational programs.

While service levels are mostly the same from the prior years, there are some areas of an increase in budget spending for:

-          RCMP – this includes the increase in our contract payments for RCMP members & equipment

-          Public Works – we have increased the budget for road resurfacing, sidewalk, and curb maintenance to update the conditions of our road network

Capital Budget Projects (1.84%)

The Capital Budget includes a 1.84% increase to taxes, or roughly an addition of $540,000. This brings the annual capital budget total to $5,725,000 for 2025. Since this is a two year capital budget, there is a 1% (minimum) increase for 2026 for the capital budget as well.

Some large 2025 capital projects include the construction of a new Airport Terminal Building, Sully Ave North road reconstruction, funding for the loan payment for York Road reconstruction, Gallagher waterpark pool/filter upgrades, a new Park Street reservoir pumping station, the carts purchase for the new residential organics program, and additional road resurfacing for various locations. As well additional investigation/feasibility studies are being undertaken to assess the development of more indoor recreation facilities.

More information about the budget, including a detailed listing of capital projects can be found at www.yorkton.ca/budget

The City encourages the public to review the budget and provide any comments or questions through the public review form available online, which will be open until February 26^th. The results will be presented to City Council at the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, March 3, 2025.

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For further information contact:

Amanda Williams

Marketing Coordinator

City of Yorkton

Phone:    306.786.1731