North Bay Council Approves 2025 Budget, Investing in Infrastructure and Services

North Bay, ON – March 31, 2025 – North Bay Council has approved the City’s 2025 operating and capital budgets, maintaining a focus on core services and strategic investments in infrastructure.

The 2025 operating budget totals $167 million, with a tax levy of approximately $114 million. This represents a 3.74% before-growth tax levy increase, or a 3% after-growth increase, over 2024. The remaining portion is funded through grants, user fees, and other revenues.

For a homeowner with a property assessed at $300,000, the approved budget translates to a monthly increase of approximately $11.61.

"This budget balances the financial realities of today with the investments needed to secure North Bay’s future — ensuring essential services, supporting economic growth, and enhancing our community’s quality of life," said Deputy Mayor Maggie Horsfield, the City’s Budget Chief. "We’ve worked hard to keep the tax increase as low as possible while still investing in the services and infrastructure our community depends on.”

A provincial rebate from surplus Workplace Safety and Insurance Board funds, along with a portion of last year’s projected surplus directed through reserves, has helped ease financial pressures, enabling the City to maintain service levels and support key community initiatives.

Nearly 48% of the tax levy ($54.9 million) is allocated to key service partners, including the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, North Bay Police Service, North Bay Public Library, Capitol Centre, Cassellholme Home for the Aged, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, and North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority.

Operating Budget Highlights:

The approved operating budget ensures the continuation of municipal service levels, including essential services such as road maintenance, garbage and recycling collection, and emergency services, while also supporting key community initiatives and strategic investments, such as:

• Permanent funding for the Security Team program, ensuring continued patrols in the Downtown Waterfront area without reliance on reserves.
• Expansion of doctor recruitment funding to allow for more flexible use.
• Completion of the transition to a fully online building permitting system, streamlining both the building and planning application processes to improve accessibility and enhance operational efficiency.
• Updating of the Community Safety & Well-being Plan to address today’s challenges and priorities.
• Continued redevelopment of the former CP Rail lands, specifically between the North Bay Museum and the Dionne Quints Museum.
• Partnership with the Chamber of Commerce on the Rural Community Immigration Pilot to attract skilled workers, connect newcomers with employers, and support long-term retention.
• Investment in new affordable housing through the implementation of the City’s Housing Action Plan, supported by the Housing Accelerator Fund.

Capital Budget Highlights:

The gross general capital budget, which totals approximately $80.6 million, is funded from the capital levy, debentures, federal and provincial government grant programs, development charges, reserves, and other contributions. It includes investments in core infrastructure and community assets, such as:

• Construction of sidewalks for transit routes along Commerce Crescent and Wallace Road.
• Asphalt resurfacing in various locations.
• Seymour Street trunk watermain & widening between Station Road and Wallace Road.
• Capital needs of service partners such as Cassellholme Home for the Aged, North Bay Police Services, and North Bay Public Library.
• Development of a 50-metre freshwater pool at Cove Beach.
• The sustainable construction of the new North Bay Community & Recreation Centre, meeting the Zero Carbon Building Design Standard.

Water and Wastewater Capital Budget:

The gross water and wastewater capital budget, which totals approximately $17.8 million, is funded through water and wastewater rates, reserves, federal and provincial government grants, and debentures. It includes key infrastructure investments to support the ongoing delivery of sustainable services, including:

•  Trunk Watermain relining in various locations throughout the City.
• Seymour Street trunk watermain & widening between Station Road and Wallace Road (water portion).

• Membrane module replacement at the Water Treatment Plant