The Grey Sauble Conservation Authority has set its budget for 2025.
At its meeting on Jan. 22, the authority board of directors gave unanimous approval for the 2025 budget. The budget for 2025 totals $7,193,796. The total levy charged to the eight member municipalities is $1,996,612. The levy for conservation authority activities has increased by $92,506.80 in 2025.
The 2025 budget also includes an additional capital levy totalling $179,940.08 for a renovation/upgrade of the authority’s administration building just outside of Owen Sound. Each member municipality is being charged the capital levy to pay for the administration centre project, which will require the authority to borrow money to complete. The conservation authority will take out a 15-year debenture to pay for the $3 million renovation project, which will also use $800,000 - $900,000 in reserve money set aside for the renovation.
Each municipality that is a member of the authority pays its portion of the levy based on modified current value assessment of properties in each municipality.
The break down is as follows:
- Arran-Elderslie - $48,843.72 (up $2,232.81 over 2024)
- The Blue Mountains - $521,004.11 (up $31,847.46 over 2024)
- Chatsworth - $55,470.50 (up $2,043.70 over 2024)
- Georgian Bluffs - $229,377.88 (up $8,652.46 over 2024)
- Grey Highlands - $151,088.33 (up $6,896.21 over 2024)
- Meaford - $246,113.42 (up $13,005.30 over 2024)
- Owen Sound - $322,218.66 (up $17,410.59 over 2024)
- South Bruce Peninsula - $242,555.76 (up $10,418.28 over 2024)
In addition to the levy for operational requirements, the authority is charging municipalities a total of $179,940.08 for the administration centre renovation/upgrade.
The break down for each municipality is as follows:
- Arran-Elderslie - $4,837.94
- The Blue Mountains - $51,605.08
- Chatsworth - $5,494.31
- Georgian Bluffs - $22,719.71
- Grey Highlands - $14,965.19
- Meaford - $24,377.36
- Owen Sound - $31,913.52
- South Bruce Peninsula - $24,024.97
Authority CAO Tim Lanthier visited all member municipalities in recent weeks to present both the budget and the administration centre project to gather comments and answer questions about the authority’s financial plans for 2025. The Conservation Act requires the authority to circulate the budget for comments 30 days prior to its approval, Grey Sauble circulated the budget for close to 60 days.
To approve the budget, the board of directors passed three separate resolutions in unanimous votes. The first resolution declared that all member municipalities benefit from the 2025 budget. The second resolution sets the total levy paid by the municipalities. The third resolution approved the overall budget.