Owen Sound City Hall. (photo by Matt Hermiz/Bayshore Broadcasting)
Owen Sound is moving closer to finalizing its 2025 budget.
Council voted at its meeting Monday to authorize a total municipal levy of $36.2-million for this year, an increase of 2.57 per cent over 2024.
The combined residential tax rate increase in Owen Sound — including county and education levies — will be 2.52 per cent. A report from Owen Sound’s Director of Corporate Services Kate Allan says the combined increase will see the average assessed homeowner charged about another $111 on the annual property tax bill.
Spending on police and fire accounts for nearly half of the city’s operating budget.
Allan says the Owen Sound Police budget this year is just over $9-million, a five per cent increase over last year. The fire department’s budget is $5.97-million, a 2.4 per cent increase.
While the levy has been approved for 2025, council still needs to pass a bylaw to formalize the budget.
