The following letter was sent to Warden Chris Peabody and Bruce County Council.
Dear Warden Peabody and County Council,
St. Edmunds Property Owners, Inc. represents property owners and residents of the former Township of St. Edmunds and the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula (MNBP).
This letter addresses concerns and questions about the direction and purpose of the county wide imposition of Development Charges.
This appears to be an additional tax on the ratepayers of Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula. Specifically, how will this additional level of taxation enable and further development in the northern most municipality?
We fear that funds collected are going into the Bruce County’s general funds to be spent in the south end where there is massive development and housing. This area has high paying jobs and Bruce Power as a draw; let them pay for it. There is no justification for MNBP paying for roads, water, sewers and services in those areas.
Development Charges are in direct opposition to providing affordable housing by adding another layer of fees. Already, the cost of building and land is beyond the most modest means of many residents of our municipality. It means anyone local will be that much more challenged to build a new house, garage etc.
The average household income for MNBP at the last census was $47,000, add this to forecasts of recession, 20-year high costs of borrowing, inflation, etc. and housing becomes even less affordable. The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula will directly suffer the loss of development and housing as a result.
We remain committed to speaking on behalf of the rate payers of The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula.
We await your reply to this letter.
Yours sincerely,
St. Edmunds Property Owners, Inc., Executive
David Almack, Kevin Doyle, David Hartney, Carrie King, Tom McAfee, Udo Nixdorf and Jack Schenk.
