Essex County passes a budget every year to deliver current municipal services while planning for the needs of the future. The County's annual budget includes both operating and capital requirements for the year.
The County's 2021 Budget, a fiscally responsible plan that supports the new hospital and mental wellness, promotes continued improvements to roads and an expanding active transportation network, builds upon staff engagement and development initiatives and invests in key areas like procurement and resident care at Sun Parlor Home.
2021 Budget Highlights:
Roads: A $51 million construction program including $31.9 million for capacity expansion and an $12.4 million Road Rehabilitation program including more than two dozen projects.
Hospital: A $550,000 boost in mega-hospital funding, bringing the 2021 contribution to $5.8 million and the total set aside to nearly $25 million.
Essex-Windsor EMS: Creation of a new Mental Health and Addictions Response Team to address community substance abuse issues and reduce demand on 911. Increased emphasis on mental wellness and peer support for paramedics. Replacement of seven ambulances.
Sun Parlor Home: A boost in the number of RPNs and PSWs to enhance patient care and the hiring of a coordinator to augment the efforts of the Infection Prevention and Control team.
Social Housing: Earmarking $1,650,000 for restoration of housing stock as part of a five-year capital plan with the City of Windsor to address $10 million in infrastructure requirements.
General Government: Hiring of a Procurement Officer to ensure value for money in the purchasing of supplies and services.
Credit Rating: AA+ with a stable outlook, the highest rating a County level government can achieve.
Tax Rate: An increase of 0.49 per cent works out to a $4.70 increase on a home assessed at $200,000. The County’s tax rate increases, excluding increases associated with infrastructure expansion, social housing and the new hospitals system, have essentially been flat since 2002. Inclusive of everything, the tax rate has increased by 23 per cent over 19 years, or about 1.16 per cent year, whereas inflation has increased by 32 per cent or 1.62 per cent per year.
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