Paradise opts to upgrade Town Hall
By Mark Squibb
The Town of Paradise has approved a balanced budget of $52 million that will see no residential or commercial mil rate increases, although folks will likely still see increases on their tax bills due to increased property assessments.
It’s a budget that Deputy Mayor Kimberely Street, who presented it during a special meeting on January 29, called “practical and forward thinking.”
The Town had requested permission from the provincial government to delay adopting the budget ahead of the January 1 deadline as staff said they were still awaiting an insurance assessment of the Town Hall and adjacent depot stemming from the February 9, 2025 fire that shuttered both buildings.
With the completed assessment in hand, council has decided to undergo a complete remodelling of the interior of the Town Hall, the cost of which will be covered by the insurance company.
“Based on all the information before us, the sensible and responsible decision is to remodel the interior of the Town Hall,” said Street. “This gives us the opportunity to update the interior of the building in a fiscally responsible manner, so that we can meet the current and future needs of our growing town. Doing this enables us to improve the accessibility features of the building, modernize work spaces, update council chambers, and create a town hall that can serve Paradise for decades to come.”
Street said work will start in the coming weeks and the renovations should be completed within the calendar year.
This year’s budget is slightly higher than in years prior due to $4 million in insurance proceeds related to the fire.
In regard to the depot, the Town will undertake construction of a new depot rather than repair the former facility.
“A feasibility study on a new depot was completed in 2024,” said Street. “The existing building was no longer meeting our needs. With our current staffing levels we are faced with constraints for work areas, for office space, break areas, and equipment storage. In fact, we have acquired portable trailers, which are providing additional space for lunchrooms, and containers for storage for equipment and supplies.”
Planning for the new depot is underway, though no contract has yet been awarded.
The Town has also budgeted money for an additional generator, as well as a retrofit of some facilities to enable a switch to a temporary power source during emergency situations.
And while the residential and commercial mil rates are being held at 7.4 and 11.5 mils respectively, the Town is axing the seniors tax discount in favour of a needs-based system.
“Under the Towns and Local Service District Act, municipalities are not permitted to offer a tax discount based on age,” said Street. “This means we had to review the seniors’ discount. Council had considerable deliberations over making this change. We reviewed the legislation. We consulted with neighbouring municipalities, and we researched alternatives. We wanted to maintain this discount, but legislatively, we could not. Ultimately, we understand our obligation as municipal officials and we are faced with no choice but to follow provincial legislation.”
Street said discounts based on income are still permitted, and the Town will employ a needs-based program based on household income levels, which will be open to all residents – including seniors. The discount amount has been increased to 25 percent.
“We recognize this is not a welcome change for our seniors, and we recognize their concerns,” said Street. “However, council has a duty to follow legislation, and the low-income tax assistance program enables us to do that while offering support to those residents who need it most.”
Approximately 24 percent of the budget goes towards regional services, including waste management, fire protection, wastewater treatment, and drinking water.
For 2026, staff have budgeted for new snow clearing equipment, continued street upgrades, development of a trail master plan, speed humps, and upgrades to the Woodstock sewer lift station.
Staff will also be implementing a new permitting system, create a low-income recreation access program, expand the municipal awards program, and create a Sports Hall of Fame.
A 10-minute recess was held following the budget presentation, after which council returned and adopted the budget unanimously.