Champlain Township will collect four per cent more in property tax revenue in 2022. Council approved this year’s budget by-law when it met on February 10 without any further discussion. 

In 2021, the township collected $6,809,794 in tax revenue out of the $6,846,884 budgeted. The 2022 budget anticipates the township will collect $7,097,563. Part of that increase in revenue will come from $52,000 in property value growth that occurred in Champlain Township during 2021. 

According to Treasurer and Interim Chief Administrative Officer Kevin Tessier, 3.66 per cent more in tax revenue will be collected in 2022 than in 2021. However, this means the actual residential tax rate will increase by three per cent. The average residential property in Champlain Township is valued at $225,247. The township portion of the tax bill for a property at that value will increase by $41.95.

The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) also approved a three per cent tax rate increase in its 2022 budget, which means an additional tax bill increase of $27.94 for residential properties in Champlain Township valued at $225,247. When the township and UCPR amounts are combined with the education amount, the total tax bill increase for a residential property at the average value in Champlain Township will be $69.89, or 2.61 per cent more in 2022. 

The total operating expenses for 2022 in Champlain Township are estimated at $15,076,652 and total revenue is estimated at $15,259,652. This difference could result in a surplus of $183,000. 

The area of municipal expenditures which is anticipated to have the greatest increase in 2022 is planning and zoning. As a result of professional fees and part-time salaries, a 91 per cent increase in operating expenditures is projected in 2022. The 2022 estimate is $219,402, which is $104,408 more than in 2021. 

In 2021, the total estimate for the cost of service from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in Champlain was $1,445,809, and $1,756,067 was budgeted. The 2022 estimate for (OPP) costs is $1,409,348, a difference of $346,719, or 20 per cent, from 2021. 

Operations expenditures for roads in Champlain Township in 2022 are estimated at $823,293. In 2021, the total estimate was $835,998 and $702,820 was budgeted. The estimate for bridges and culverts operations in 2022 is increasing by 85 per cent from 2021. The 2022 estimate is $86,083. In 2021, $46,520 was budgeted and $77,058 was the total estimate. 

Operations associated with rural grass mowing, ditching, grass mowing, catchbasins, litter clean up, patching, sidewalk repair, grading, and sweeping are all listed separately in the budget. 

Snowplowing expenses are projected to increase by 12 per cent in Champlain Township in 2022, with an estimate of $290,930. In 2021, the total estimate was $253,137 and $332,091 was budgeted. The salting and sanding those snowplow trucks also do on municipal roads is estimated to cost $234,950 in 2022, which is an increase of $37,914 or 14 per cent from 2021. 

Expenditures for Parks and Recreation administration in 2022 in Champlain are estimated at $440,460, which is a $101,150, or 30 per cent, increase from 2021.  L’Orignal Park operations costs are estimated at $23,579 in 2022, which is 32 per cent more than in 2021. The greatest source of the increase is from insurance and materials costs. 

Capital 

The gross capital estimates for the 2022 Champlain Township budget total $6,647,150. Proposed projects include $291,000 in park and arena upgrades, $793,100 for water and sewer repairs on King Street in L’Orignal, and $4,814,560 for other road reconstruction and resurfacing projects. Those expenses will be offset by $906,292 in federal grants, $1,075,243 in provincial grants, and $574,415 in gas tax refund grants, and $519,107 in support from the United Counties of Prescott and Russell.