2025 Budget Deliberations Coming Up

The Municipality of Lakeshore’s draft 2025 Budget will be considered by Council on Thursday, January 23 and Friday, January 24 (if necessary). The meeting, which starts at 10:00 AM, takes place at the Essex County Council Chambers (360 Fairview Ave W, Essex). The meeting will be open to the public and streamed online at Lakeshore.ca/TV.  

The 2025 Budget is now available online using Lakeshore’s digital Budget App, which features interactive tables and charts and lets users explore Lakeshore’s budget centres.

The app was developed in 2024 and recognized for its innovative approach by the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks, and Treasurers of Ontario. New features in the 2025 edition of the app include a section describing how each service is funded, a section on guiding documents that informed the draft budget, as well as a list of changes and their impact on the tax rate.

The draft budget notes the ongoing impacts of inflation and delays to the update of property assessment values, as well as pending costs for upcoming infrastructure projects and increasing service demands, such as those outlined in the Water and Wastewater Master Plan and Fire Master Plan.

The proposed tax, water, and wastewater rate increases would have an average monthly impact of $20.42 for property owners. Despite the proposed increase, Lakeshore would continue to have one of Essex County's lowest tax rates.

“Lakeshore is facing significant financial pressures on several fronts. Our water and wastewater systems, for instance, have been underfunded over the past two decades and require investments to protect the environment, keep our drinking water safe, and provide sewer systems to meet demand,” said Mayor Tracey Bailey. “With those pressures in mind, along with the understanding that many of our residents are struggling to make ends meet, Council is dedicated to deliberating on these decisions in an open and transparent process.”

Draft Budget Highlights

• Total expenditures: $66.1 million, up from $60.7 million in 2024 
• Reserve contributions: $32.7 million 
• Reserve withdrawals: $43 million 
• Recoveries (revenue not related to property taxes): $21.6 million, up from $19.8 million in 2024
• Tax revenue: $44.4 million, a $3.6 million increase from 2024

2025 Major Capital Projects

• Comber Watermain Replacement – Phase 1: $8 million
• Rochester Watermain Replacement: $3.7 million
• Stoney Point Community Park Construction: $3.5 million
• County Road 22 Sanitary Trunk Upgrades: $3.07 million
• 2025 Bridge Rehabilitation Program: $2.4 million
• Fire Truck Replacement – Tanker 2 and Engine 5: $2.07 million
• Lifecycle Asphalt Replacement: $1.9 million

Regional Comparison 

• Lakeshore's tax rate increase remains one of the lowest in the region.
• Lakeshore's total weighted assessment ranks the highest in the region. 

Impact of Reserve Funding and Tax Stabilization

• In 2024, Council approved one-time transfers from reserves to reduce the property tax rate and minimize the impact on taxpayers. Reversing these one-time measures added 4.8% to the proposed 2025 tax rate.