The RM of Ritchot’s council recently revealed their 2023 financial plan and residents can anticipate nothing of great note this year apart from stationary tax rates.

According to Muhammad Zaman, the municipality’s chief financial officer, council has set the municipal mill rate at the same level as last year.

“If residents see an increase in their property taxes from last year, it will likely be due to their home having been reassessed by the province,” Zaman says.

Zaman refers to the fact that 2023 is the year for property reassessments, carried out every two years by the Manitoba Assessment branch.

“Property values change over time,” says the province’s website. “Regular reassessments help to ensure that your property assessment reflects more recent market values. For the 2023 reassessment, property values reflect April 1, 2021 market values.”1

While Ritchot’s budgeted revenue for the coming year reflects numbers very close to last year’s, some shuffle in expenditures has taken place.

General government services, for one, has seen a 10 percent increase from last year. According to Zaman, much of this is due to inflation and a significant increase in RM staff wages since the government legislated higher minimum wages in October 2022.

“Salaries is one factor of that [increase],” says Zaman. “And, consequently, when the wage goes up, your deductions for municipal employee benefits and workers compensation also goes up. All of these things are linked with the salaries.”

Also seeing a significant increase this year, at 12 percent, is protective services. Much of this is a result of bylaw compliance/enforcement, which is currently budgeted at $105,000, up from last year’s budget of $70,000.

“We are doubling up on the weekend patrols,” says CAO Mitch Duval. “Instead of one person per car, we are proceeding with two persons per car.”

This, he adds, is to provide more Commissionaire visibility within the RM going forward.

Understandably, transportation costs are up. This is reflected in the 2023 budget as a 20 percent increase. According to Duval, it’s not all fuel related, though.

“[This] budget includes extra staff as well,” says Duval. “Ditches and road drainage [are included as] ongoing regular maintenance programs… Culverts are [also] included in the project.”

Finally, recreation and culture expenditures have jumped this year by 21 percent. The major player in this category are the community libraries, which have more than doubled in cost since last year, going from $30,000 to $63,450 in the course of one year.

“The municipality has seen population growth and council wanted to match the provincial funding of $8.50 per capita for the library,” Duval says.

As for capital projects budgeted for 2023, the list is extensive, including numerous upgrades and additions to Public Works equipment.

The municipal office expansion takes the biggest bite out of the budget at $2.4 million. As well, the Île-des-Chênes lagoon project has been budgeted at $1.9 million.

Duval says that a new lagoon cell is required in that area to keep up with growth. Municipal funding here is expected to be matched by the Manitoba Water Services Branch.

Smaller projects on the roster include remedial work planned for the Pembina Trail pathway in Ste. Agathe, coming in at $91,000.

Finally, $50,000 has been set aside to investigate the feasibility of seniors housing projects in the municipality.

“The study is to look at seniors living needs within the RM, whether age-in-place, life lease, or assisted [living],” says Ryan Faucher, the economic development officer. “No consultants [have been] identified at this point.”

Faucher adds that he’s applied for a $25,000 provincial grant to help offset the cost of the study.

The 2023 proposed financial plan is available on the RM website in its entirety. Residents are invited to attend a financial plan public hearing on April 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the RM office. Council will be available to answer questions or register objections as presented.

A link for virtual attendance will also be provided on the website on the day of the hearing.