Hastings County passes 2020 budget on Tuesday

By Alex Mahar

BELLEVILLE – Hastings County residents will face a more than five per cent increase in their property taxes this year.

County council approved its operating budget for 2020 has increased by 5.18% from 2019, up to $148,278,286, it announced on Tuesday.

With the increased funds, council is ensuring residents will continue to receive critical services by investing more in child care, seniors housing, long-term care and paramedic services and address service gaps and pressures in health care, created through an increase in demand for service, it said in a press release.

The increase results in an additional $25.00 on a typical taxpayer with a residential assessment of $185,500. 

With the aging population and call volume pressures, paramedic services is expanded to 24 hours day/7 days a week. 

The need for proper resourcing and funding of infrastructure needs resulted in an increase of 60 hours of custodial staff to support seniors housing, as well.