Health Unit Levy on Northumberland County Rises 5%

By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland

The cost-shared budget among municipalities served by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit means that these Obligated Municipalities – including Northumberland County – will pay 5% more in 2022 than in 2021.

The news came at the November meeting of Northumberland County council’s standing Finance and Audit Committee meeting.

The hike was approved at the board of health’s September meeting, the notice said.

“There continue to be many unknowns related to COVID-19, such as the potential for widespread third-dose eligibility, which could result in the implementation of mass-immunization clinics again, and these unknowns could change the costs significantly.”

The meeting took place the day after Cobourg council approved the use of the gym at the Cobourg Community Centre for an Emergency Mass Health Protection Clinic from Nov. 5 through March 31, 2022. And Mayor John Henderson, who serves on the board of health, mentioned that as many as 30 new hires were contemplated for both COVID and non-COVID immunizations.

Of the three Obligated Municipalities, Northumberland foots 47.88% of the bill, with the City of Kawartha Lakes paying 42.49% and Haliburton County funding 9.63%.

In dollars, that means that Northumberland’s share for 2022 is $2,661,433, up from $2,534,698 in 2021.

On the other hand, committee chair Bill Cane noted with approval a zero increase in the MPAC levy for 2022.

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation – established in 1998 to reassesses the Current Value Assessment of properties throughout the province on a periodic basis in order to adjust property-tax assessments to a more current standard – is funded by all Ontario municipalities.

“MPAC has been working hard to control expenses,” the notice said.

“Despite increases to collectively bargained labour costs, we have managed costs in other areas, and have been able to apply savings from 2021 to maintain the budget at the current level.”

As for property owners – in respect of the pandemic, the Ontario government has indicated that property assessments for the 2022 property-tax year will continue to be based on the fully-phased-in Jan. 1, 2016, current values.

This means that, unless there have been changes to your property, your property assessment for the 2021 property-tax year should be the same as the year before.