FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Council Passes 2025 Budget
Budget Includes a 3.9% Increase to the Tax Levy
THAMES CENTRE – At today’s Special Budget meeting, Council passed the 2025 Budget.
Next year’s budget will include a 3.9% increase to the local property tax levy. The total levy increase is based on combination of 1.9% for operational increases, such as increased OPP service costs, and the approval of a 2% Capital Infrastructure Levy, to assist the Municipality in addressing future capital infrastructure projects sustainably.
“Our 2025 Budget invests in revitalizing roads and infrastructure in our community,” said Mayor Sharron McMillan. “This budget helps keeps taxes low, while addressing the issues residents care about the most. That includes investments in parks and trails, and building a more robust road network.”
With the Capital Budget approved, Thames Centre will have 50 active infrastructure projects. The Budget invests $2.85 million in the Upper Queen Street Urbanization project, and over $2.1 million in the Thorndale Road Urbanization project. Other projects include improvements to Cobble Hills Road, a culvert replacement on Dingman Drive, and new projects along Dorchester Road.
“Thames Centre has the lowest tax rate of any lower-tier municipality in the region,” noted CAO David Barrick. “The Budget passed by Council positions Thames Centre to maintain the lowest tax rate in Middlesex County, while investing in priorities identified in Council’s Strategic Plan.”
A 2025 Budget Survey listed the public’s top issues as road infrastructure (42%) and parks and trails (33%). The budget, as passed, includes large investments in roads and infrastructure, as well as trail upgrades and funding for a new Parks and Trails Masterplan.
The survey also indicated 63% of respondents preferred a budget that had inflationary tax increases, while maintaining services levels, an approach which Council followed in Budget 2025.
The budget debate can be viewed on the Thames Centre YouTube channel at: https://tinyurl.com/TCBudget25.
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Contact: Michael Ramnanan
Communications Manager
mramnanan@thamescentre.on.ca
519.268-7334 ext. 258
Click here to view the slide deck presented to Council
Learn more about how budgets are made: