Moncton council has unanimously decided against the addition of 15 more RCMP officers next year due to insufficient data. The vote took place during the afternoon session as the council reviewed the city’s extensive 542-page budget, which proposes no changes to the municipal tax rate.
In September, the Codiac Regional Policing Authority board approved a $66.5 million budget that included funding for 15 additional officers. This board oversees the Codiac Regional RCMP, responsible for policing Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview. While Riverview has yet to cast a formal vote, several councillors have indicated they will also oppose the request.
This recent decision by Moncton council follows earlier votes by the three councils to withhold approval for further staffing increases until data showcasing the impact of adding 17 positions this year is presented. The required data is anticipated to be collected next year. Following the presentation of the policing authority budget to Moncton council, the board chair, Don Moore, announced his resignation.
The proposed city budget for Moncton outlines total expenditures amounting to $376,786,645. The budget maintains the tax rate at $1.3614 per $100 of assessed value for most of the city, including areas amalgamated in 2023. While the water rate is set to increase, the wastewater rate will remain unchanged. The city estimates the average annual cost for households for both services to be $1,138, a $10 increase from the previous year.
Jacques Doucet, the city’s general manager of finance services, explained to council members that an assessment freeze by the province resulted in the city losing approximately $11 million to $13 million in expected revenue growth. Despite discussions earlier in the year regarding a potential tax rate increase, Doucet mentioned that the city is receiving about $9 million more in provincial funding, enabling them to maintain a flat tax rate. The budget aims to sustain existing service levels.
The operating budget of $236 million for the city represents a $12.5 million increase from the previous year. The largest expenditure category, totaling $80 million, is allocated to staff wages and benefits. The city plans to increase its full-time equivalent staff positions to 835 from 799 and hire 10 additional firefighters for a rapid medical response truck, aligning with recommendations from a fire department review.
The city’s share of the Codiac Regional Policing Authority budget is set at $43 million, up from $41 million the previous year and $24 million in 2020. The budget assumes no new RCMP officers next year, as per the council’s decision, but anticipates increased policing expenses due to contracts, equipment, and other associated costs. In the event of budget disagreements between the councils and authority, the provincial local government minister has the authority to intervene and set the budget.
Furthermore, the capital budget allocates $92 million for various projects, including $17 million designated for “downtown facilities,” which could encompass a market relocation or a new convention center. Additionally, $3.5 million is earmarked for the development of transitional housing along the riverfront, part of the Vision Lands initiative. The budget also earmarks $10 million in 2027 for a new aquatics center in the north end, with ongoing design work and major construction scheduled for 2027.
Several proposed budget amendments, such as increased spending on traffic-calming measures, will be deliberated on Thursday before the final budget vote.