M.D. farmland taxes increase, residential taxes decrease

By Rob Vogt
Ratepayers in the Municipal District of Willow Creek who own farmland will see an 13 percent increase in their mill rate, those who own residential property will see a 21 percent decrease, and the non-residential mill rate will go up two per cent.
At its April 10 meeting, the M.D. council discussed what the mill rate for 2024 will be, then set it by bylaw.
The mill rate is multiplied by the assessed value of a property to determine the property or municipal taxes a ratepayer will pay on that property.
A report from administration stated inflationary and assessment growth will have a significant impact on the 2024 operating budget regarding both operational and capital costs related to municipal service delivery. Efforts have been made by staff to identify expenditures directly related to the current level of service provided by the municipality.
The M.D. has experienced approximately a 12 to 14 per cent increase in growth, through new builds, construction, and so on, and inflation, through fair market value increases, in the residential property class.
Adjustments have been made to the final budget from the approved interim budget to reflect the inflationary costs of the operating and capital budget.
The 2024 municipal budget indicates total municipal property taxes and revenue are forecast to increase to $17,938,984.19 in 2024 from $17,099,265.12 in 2023.
This includes $5,388,984.19 which is collected on behalf of other organizations and includes increases arising due to the School Foundation Fund requisition, an approximately $368,973 increase, and the local housing foundations with an approximately $38,000 increase.
An increase in policing costs in 2024 of approximately $57,423 to $495,085 must also be collected and remitted to the province for the policing.
The 2024 municipal budget indicates total net municipal property taxes of $12,550,000 and projects a $52,225 surplus. The municipal budget includes a dedication to reserves of $375,000 for future municipal infrastructure projects.
Council then approved all three readings of the mill-rate bylaw.