Dysart et al coun. Pat Casey believes financial pressure felt within the County’s four townships has more to do with continued downloading of necessary services from the Ontario government than local mismanagement.
Addressing County CAO Gary Dyke at Dysart’s April 28 meeting, Casey asked if the province provided money to support social service, childcare, housing and health programming that have been handed down to the lower level.
Dyke, who had been presenting about a new governance and affordability study County council has commissioned, indicated they do but that it’s rarely enough to cover the full cost of delivery.
“Traditionally when services are downloaded, some money may come with it but it’s not enough for ongoing maintenance. It’s like buying a brand-new truck. You might have enough money for the truck, but you can’t afford new tires or brakes when they’re needed. We’re kind of in that position right now,” Dyke said.
The CAO said that’s why the County review is so important.
“We need to look at how we’re spending every dollar right now to ensure we can augment and support… those gaps we have to fill,” Dyke said.
The County currently pays the City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) around $3 million for childcare, housing and social services, with CKL chosen by the province to act as service manager for the region. That’s one of the areas the County has seen the biggest increase in costs, Dyke said, with some programs up anywhere from 20 to 40 per cent in recent years.
With policing costs also climbing – capped at 11 per cent the past two years – Dyke said all councils in the County have had to make some difficult decisions.
“You’re being forced into taking extraordinary steps to mitigate the tax rate increase – by reducing or deferring capital money, which moves the ball down the road,” Dyke said.
Casey said Dysart is feeling the impact.
“We have 20 bridges coming up and we’re looking at our infrastructure gaps and wondering how we’re going to handle this. So many costs have been downloaded on us with no clear way to cover the gap, unless we drastically increase taxes,” Casey said.
Upping the local levy is problematic, too, Dyke said considering the impact will be borne largely by residential ratepayers. He estimated about 98 per cent of the local tax base is residential.
He told Dysart the study will be completed by late July and presented to County council in August. There won’t be any recommendations for changes, with Dyke saying that will fall to the next term of council. The 2026 municipal election will take place Oct. 26.
“This is not designed to be critical of the manner services are being provided at the County or local level, it’s an economic study making sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure we invest the money we are collecting from ratepayers is being spent in the most efficient and effective way possible,” Dyke said.
