Ancaster residents to pay less for sidewalk clearing
They can expect an $8 savings on their tax bill
In a bit of good budget news, Ancaster residents will be paying less for their sidewalk snow-clearing service starting in 2023, when councillors are expected to eliminate the area-rated service.
Hamilton financial staff recommended at the March 3 budget meeting that Ancaster’s snow-clearing service end when the city implements its enhanced level of snow clearing starting in 2023.
The new level of service adds 469 kilometres at a cost of $936,000 — for a total of 866 kilometres of snow cleared from sidewalks.
The overall cost of the service will be $4.44 million in 2022 and another $1.4 million in 2023.
Councillors approved the enhanced level of snow clearing across all transit lines in April 2021.
Ancaster had about nine per cent of the total number of kilometres of sidewalk cleared under the enhanced level of service, compared to 20 per cent under the previous level of service.
In the 2021 budget, Ancaster residents paid $156,000 for sidewalk snow clearing from about 102 kilometres of sidewalks in Ward 12 under the special arearated tax policy that had been in place since amalgamation.
It will mean Ancaster residents will see an $8 decrease in their taxes, while residents in 10 of the other wards will pay an extra $1 for sidewalk snow clearing.
“My constituents will pay $1 more to help Coun. (Lloyd) Ferguson eliminate area rating in Ancaster,” said Mountain Coun. Tom Jackson. “I hope he remembers that.”
Finance staff said residents will receive the same level of snow-clearing service as they have received in the past.
Councillors delayed eliminating Ancaster’s area-rated policy for sidewalk snow clearing until they receive a staff report on the financial impact of halting all area-rated services, such as parkland purchases, street lighting, recreation and transit.
The report, expected to be provided to the March 23 council meeting, will examine the financial impact to residents across the city.
“There are going to be significant tax hits to people in the rural community at a time when they can’t afford it,” said Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark.