Welland Council has concerns over the cost of an integrated transit system.
Council received a report last night at a special council meeting outlining the impact of the Niagara Regional Transit (NRT) Levy on Welland taxpayers based on the transit system's proposed budget.
The report shows an estimated 30% increase in 2023 over 2022.
Mayor Frank Campion says they asked for financial updates on the proposed financial model and capital costs, and while they support the transit system, a 30% hike for Welland taxpayers is unacceptable.
“On several occasions, we asked for updates on the proposed financial model and capital costs, because we wanted to ensure we knew the impact on the Welland taxpayer,” said Mayor Frank Campion. “As a Council, we have always supported the integration of a consolidated transit system, but an increase to the Welland taxpayer by 30 per cent is unacceptable and does not reflect what was proposed during the triple majority vote.”
There is no financial impact to the city, however, there is an impact on Welland residents through the 2023 Regional Levy.
