Reserve funds open up water/tax relief program for residents previously excluded

Unspent funds of $50,000 from the County’s Reserve Fund for Year-End Carry Forward will go toward an ancillary financial relief grant program that helps full-time residents who own their home, but not their land, to pay taxes and water bills.

The one-time program would assist people in this tax year, while a more fulsome review of the Municipal Financial Relief Grant Program will come to council as part of the 2024 budget deliberations.

This is the second year of the grant program designed to help renters and homeowners earning an annual household income of less than $32,240 (single) or $64,480 (family) by offering a maximum credit of $350 toward the utility bill and maximum credit of $750 toward the property tax bill.

The program is administered by the County Foundation and does not involve a cheque, but instead a credit adjustment to accounts. The County Foundation notes the program is expected to meets its full budget or $350,000 this year with about 395 eligible applications this year so far. Should the program be oversubscribed, grants are to be issued in order of need.

Municipal staff recommended a $50,000 budget be set for the one-time program allowing another 60 residents to be approved before an intake closing date of Sept. 29.

At July’s council meeting, residents of Wellington on the Lake spoke to the issue of being excluded from assistance.

Due to a change by MPAC, (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) homeowners at Wellington On The Lake no longer have tax roll numbers as they now pay their taxes to the owner of their lands. They therefore, have been excluded from applying for assistance as tax roll numbers are required for the process. Residents from there attended Tuesday night’s meeting and thanked council for its consideration and effort.