Property taxes going up over two per cent in Kitchener

By Blair Adams

Property taxes in the City of Kitchener will rise by 2.25 per cent this year, which the city said is slightly below the province's rate of inflation.

Kitchener city council finalized the 2019 budget on Thursday.

Meantime, water utilities will see a combined increase of 6.5 per cent.

Natural gas prices will also be reduced by close to one per cent.

“I believe both council and staff can be proud of the budget we’ve approved here today,” Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said in a release. “Our investments today reflect the priorities identified by our community during the recent election, our Environics survey and citizen engagement efforts. They help ensure we are a building a better, more caring Kitchener for everyone.”

Areas that will be invested in 2019 include:

  • pilot programs for expanded winter maintenance of cycling lanes, separated cycling lanes and increased funding for traffic calming initiatives
  • increased use of biodiesel for city vehicles
  • rehabilitation of City Hall Outdoor Spaces including Carl Zehr Square
  • increased funding for the Leisure Access Card program
  • additional funding for small scale traffic calming

The city also said for a fourth straight year there will be a small surplus when the full reconciliation of the 2018 budget is completed. 

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