Regional councillors continue discussions on motions for 2024 budget

Regional councillors met for the third strategic and budget committee meeting on Wednesday for the region’s 2024 budget.

The theme of the meeting was Equitable Services and Opportunities and touched on topics including transportation, child care, automated speed enforcement, and paramedic services.

Several motions were passed, including the implementation of the paramedic services master plan, which would see a budget increase of $5.9 million. The move would fund 20 more paramedics, one operations manager, 3.3 fleet and other support staff, one supervisor, vehicles, and equipment for four 12-hour ambulances to be deployed November 1, 2024.

“These investments need to continue so we get to a point where we have a healthy, sustainable deployment model,” said Paramedic Chief John Riches. “We still are playing catch up now, but it is getting better.”

Council also passed a motion to include the province-funded paramedicine program for seniors and residents with chronic illness.

A large portion of the meeting was taken over by automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras. A motion to the budget included expanding the program to 60 sites by the end of 2024 and launching a ticket processing facility. Staff also recommended hiring 33 full-time staff and one part-time to help run the program. The operating budget for the program is $300,000 less due to the revenue brought in from tickets, estimated to be around $6 million.

Craig Dyer, the region’s chief financial officer, said a reserve would also be made from ticket revenue to be used for road safety programs.

“As this program matures, there will be an increasing amount of net revenue that will contribute to the road safety reserve, and that in turn provides a source of funding for road safety initiatives across the region,” said Dyer.

Council also voted to defer a motion to December 13 brought forward by Councillor Colleen James to add $500,000 to the budget to help fund youth-focused initiatives.

Councillors have until December 4 to make a motion to amend the budget before the final budget day on December 13.