Council Approves 2021 Budget - Upgrades to City Infrastructure Coming in 2022

Yorkton City Council approved the City’s 2021 budget at their regular City Council meeting on Monday, holding municipal tax increases to zero percent for this year.

The budget was tabled at the March 15 council meeting and the public was given the past two weeks to voice any questions or concerns via our City website, by email or phone. Aside from input from the Chamber of Commerce, no comments have been received.

Council also approved the City’s 2022 Capital Budget. “It is important for the City to plan its capital budgets in advance, as project sizes and costs require funding and design to be carefully planned out. There are often months of work on engineering and design leading up to the project,” said Mayor Mitch Hippsley.

The 2022 capital budget includes spending of $4,640,000 which is an increase over 2021’s number of $250,000. This is a roughly one percent increase to taxation added to the budget in 2022. “The effect this would have on the average homeowner is in the range of about $15 to $25 per year,” said the Mayor, “and a majority of the 2022 capital budget will be invested in City assets and infrastructure renewal projects,” he said.

Here are the key highlights of the City’s 2022 Capital Budget.

Transportation Infrastructure

The budget includes preliminary construction design for York Road, a main connector street between Highways 16 and 9, which is part of the Provincial Urban Highway Connector Program.

The City will be working closely with the Ministry of Highways on this project, and they will be providing $4 million towards the roadway resurfacing portion of York Road under this program.

The total cost of the York Road Renewal Project is $17 million, of which the City will cover the remaining $13 million for upgrades to aging underground sewer/water infrastructure along York Road. Four million dollars of the total cost will be designated to drainage improvements at the Victoria Ditch crossing at York Road, connecting to the North Outfall Drainage Project that was completed in 2020. This is the next step in Yorkton’s long-term drainage improvement program.

Underground utility lines, storm sewer and drainage work will be included as part of this project. It is more efficient and cost effective to do this work at the same time.

Preliminary construction design for York Road will get underway immediately while actual construction is expected to begin in 2023.

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure

“The City takes great pride in the high standards of our water system, which ensures the delivery of safe and high-quality water to residents,” said Mayor Mitch Hippsley. “We remain dedicated to the replacement of aging water and wastewater infrastructure.” The 2021 budget includes a previously approved one percent increase to water rates, as well as the $3 per month increase to the water base charge. These amounts will offset ongoing increasing costs to replace water lines, sewer lines and meters.

Landfill improvements are included in the 2022 capital budget as part of the Landfill Operational Master Plan, as well as upgrades to several water wells ($450,000 over two years, both of which are self funded). In addition, design of a new Water Pollution Control Plant will get underway, as well as ground water resource investigation on our aquifers. Other larger projects include a potential second ice surface and a new Deer Park clubhouse. 

Additional new smaller projects which are part of the 2022 capital budget include numerous smaller upgrades to various parks and buildings, as well as a portion of the roof at the Gallagher Centre. Deer Park will also be seeing improvements to its mower fleet, irrigation system and cart paths.

Equipment purchases include a replacement wheel loader, backhoe, an Access Transit bus, as well as replacement of a fire engine.

For more information regarding the City’s budget, please visit www.yorkton.ca/budget

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