FEO, February 20, 2025, VOL. 6 ISSUE 12

At the January 29, 2025, Council-in-Budget Committee Meeting, Fort Erie Town Council provisionally approved the 2025 Budget, implementing a 4.95% increase in the Town’s share of residential property taxes. For an average household, this adjustment results in an added $6.12 per month.

When factoring in levies from the Niagara Region and the Boards of Education, the total monthly increase for residential taxpayers in Fort Erie amounts to $19.40.

The Town’s expenditures align with the strategic priorities outlined in the 2023-2026 Corporate Strategic Plan, as set by the Council.

• Access to primary and urgent healthcare;
• Quality of life;
• Sustainable and managed growth;
• Economic prosperity and diversification;
• Environmental and climate change resiliency
• Comprehensive housing options.

The 2025 budget will focus on investing in:

• infrastructure and construction investments;
• parks and recreation spaces;
• trees, natural heritage and environmental assets;
• resident customer service;
• technology innovation, modernization and security; and,
• other key projects to benefit residents.

Mayor Wayne Redekop stated, “Fort Erie is poised for another year of significant economic activity, residential and commercial construction, and growth.

In order to accommodate the growth in our community, Council has made a commitment to asset management. This has resulted in Fort Erie aligning its responsibility to maintain our infrastructure (roads, bridges, water and sewer lines, storm systems, parks, recreational and operational facilities, equipment, and so on) with the financial resources to do so.

The Town continues to attract new industries by maintaining the allocation of $600,000 to development charge (DC) grants and updated revised tax incentives of $79,756. This means jobs, increased tax assessment, and economic spin-offs. History tells us that these incentives have worked for us.

The capital reserves and tax incentives account for 2.07%. They are prudent allocations of funding that will ensure that Fort Erie remains competitive in today’s modern world while maintaining service levels that our residents need in the face of rising costs.”

The Operating Budget of $36.89 million will deliver town services and expand strategic areas such as the approval of the following staffing needs:

• Supervisor of Construction Projects, Growth (Infrastructure Services).
• Parks Technician, Arboriculture (Infrastructure Services).
• Permit Application Technician (Planning, Building and By-law Services).

The 2025 Operating Budget includes several one-time requests funded from strategic and rate stabilization reserves:

• Facility Condition Study update;
• Comprehensive Zoning By-law review;
• Community Planning and Permitting System;
• Town Hall landscaping improvements.

Director of Corporate Services Jonathan Janzen said, “The 2025 Budget supports the important services and infrastructure needs of the community. It is pressured by years of higher inflation, recent falling interest rates and the asset lifecycle investments required for current residents and future generations. It limits the overall 2025 tax increase by minimizing the number of new expense requests, promoting non-tax revenues such as building and facility fees, and by using reserves where appropriate to fund one-time costs,”
– Jonathan Janzen, Director of Corporate Services

In addition to the Operating Budget, Town Council approved the 2025 Capital Budget and 2026 to 2035 Forecast. The Capital Budget consists of 66 projects with a total cost of $26,038,412. The budget includes fire and emergency-related work, roads, water, wastewater, parks and facilities. Some of the larger Capital projects include: 

• $3.0 million for the Thunder Bay Road upgrade
• $2.0 million for the 2025 Road Resurfacing program
• $680,000 for the Ferndale Park Spraypad Replacement
• $385,000 for the Oakes Park Pewee Field Lighting Replacement
• $250,000 for the Town Council Chamber AV

On December 04, 2024, the Town Council approved Fort Erie’s 2025 Water and Wastewater Budget for $25,724,283. This budget supports high service delivery standards at a cost increase of 7.98 percent, or $11.36 per month, for the average household.