Essex County residents will pay a little more next year in property taxes.
County council approved its budget for 2025 Thursday, which includes a 3.76 per cent increase in the levy, or another $60.96 for a property assessed at $300,000.
The county said the budget is fiscally responsible and maintains service levels despite inflationary pressures.
"Our Strategic Plan calls for the County of Essex to be a regional champion delivering services for the success of local communities and residents, and it calls for the county to be a powerhouse in public and private investment attraction," said County Warden and Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald. "This budget does that by maintaining services for our residents and by investing in infrastructure to lay the foundation for continued prosperity and growth."
The spending plan includes a $98.1-million road construction and rehabilitation. Of that, $67.6-million will go to expanding capacity, while $20.6-million is set aside for rehabilitation projects.
That includes a new roundabout at County Road 46 and Rochester Town Line, continued work along County Road 42 and County Road 43, and design work for the County Road 22 corridor enhancement project.
With Essex Windsor EMS on track to record 65,000 calls by the end of 2024, the county said the budget "takes care of the people who take care of us." There's money in the budget to replace seven ambulances, plus an additional ambulance and funding to design a new EMS headquarters.
Sun Parlour long-term care home will get the cash it needs to increase the time workers spend caring for residents.
The budget also continues its commitment to building a new acute care hospital. The reserve for that project will increase by $680,000 over last year for an additional $7-million. The county plans to raise $100-million for the hospital, and the reserve is forecasted to reach $57-million by the end of 2025.
Erie Shores Healthcare in Leamington will get another $200,000 as part of a ten-year commitment.
County councillors also pledged to continue work on a Regional Affordable Housing Strategy next year and will fund vital programs like the Homelessness Hub in Leamington. It reported 3,361 visits between last January and October.
There's $4.9-million for the County Wide Active Transportation System, including 20 km of paved shoulder projects making county roads safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers.