SHUNIAH — If the municipal council ratifies the proposed budget as-is next week, the average homeowner in Shuniah will pay 3.63 per cent more in property taxes this year.
That's an increase of about $100 on a property valued at $400,000, bringing the annual tax bill to a bit over $2,800.
Owners of lakeshore properties in Shuniah continue to convert seasonal residences to full-time homes, as reflected in census data.
The municipality's population in 2021 was 3,247, an increase of 16 per cent from 2016.
Assessment growth helps keep tax rates down, but Chief Administrative Officer Paul Greenwood said a larger population can also affect the cost of programming and services.
Among capital projects this year, Shuniah plans to invest $400,000 to upgrade and expand the local rink shack, including accessible washrooms.
But the taxpayer contribution will be offset by a $250,000 grant from Hydro One.
Greenwood said although the capital budget is relatively small this year, the municipality works on a 10-year plan "that we forecast, so we know what's coming down the road, and we certainly try to take that into consideration when we're setting our tax rates and funding our reserve to prepare for some of those upcoming costs."
One big-ticket item on the horizon is the reconstruction of Lakeshore Drive, which carries a price tag of about $9 million.
"We've never had anything of this magnitude," Greenwood said.
The cost includes culvert work that was started along the road last year and will be completed over the next two years.
If council decides to proceed with rebuilding the route in 2027, Shuniah will have to borrow about $7 million.
The balance of the cost will be covered out of its reserves and with proceeds from the province's municipal gas tax program.
