City Council to discuss proposed 2022 rates and fees

The proposed 2022 rates and fees will be considered for adoption by St. Catharines City Council at its June 14 meeting.

The Council meeting, set to begin at 6 p.m., will include the opportunity for the public to share its input on the proposed rates and fees. Individuals wishing to provide feedback can do so by electronic delegation at next Monday’s City Council meeting, by email, or by mail.

The City’s Budget Standing Committee approved the recommended rates and fees in May. Following historical practice, most of the 1,100-plus user fees are proposed to be adjusted with an increase of 1.5% to account for rate of inflation. This year there are also 13 new fees added, mainly to standardize pricing, to comply with updated legislation, or to recover administrative costs.

The City charges users directly for certain programs and services. User fees include charges for swimming lessons, Garden City Golf Course green fees, public skating, dog licences, park and facility rentals, building and demolition permits, road closures and more. Increasing fees keep St. Catharines competitive in the market as a place to develop while also generating enough revenue to cover costs of enhancing services to keep up with expansion in the city.

“City staff review rates and fees every year and adjust them based on the City’s cost to deliver services, local market conditions, user demand and based on comparator municipal information. It’s a responsible approach to updating rates and fees and to sustain and manage costs of programs and services,” said Kristine Douglas, director of financial management services. “The proposed rates and fees allow the City to balance costs without burdening the taxpayer by having those that use a service pay for it.”

New fees proposed for 2022 include the new short-term rental licences, new site plan process fees, the creation of older adult tennis memberships – providing consistency to the current age demographic pricing structure (a public meeting on these fees will also take place at the June 14 Council meeting), a new fee for webinars for the St. Catharines Enterprise Centre, the introduction of a fee for staff attendance at a wedding rehearsal, and more.

As Council continues to meet electronically, residents are reminded that virtual delegations are required for the public meeting. To request to speak to Council, individuals must complete the City’s electronic delegation form by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 13. You must also attend a test session on Monday, June 14. Details are available at www.stcatharines.ca/council.

Submissions can also be made via email to clerks@stcatharines.ca by noon on Monday, June 14. Submissions can also be placed in the City’s mail slot at City Hall, 50 Church St., by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 10. The mail slot is located at the James Street entrance of City Hall. Residents contributing email and mail submissions are asked to include the subject line “2022 Rates and Fees” on any correspondence.

For more information on the proposed rates and fees to be discussed at the Council meeting, see the staff report and complete list of recommendations in the June 14 Council Agenda.

Contact:

citizensfirst@stcatharines.ca