Summerside city council passes 'stay-the-course' budget for 2023

Summerside councillors have passed the city's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

All the resolutions were approved at a meeting Wednesday that took only about five minutes, after the budget was introduced at a council meeting two weeks ago, Mayor Dan Kutcher said. 

The spending plan includes $5.5 million in funding for an east-west connector road project that would divert traffic away from the city's downtown. The proposed road would connect Water Street East near Reads Corner with Ryan Street and MacEwen Road.

"The things that happen right away are the tenders that are put out for road work, sidewalks — the types of things that you need to get out before the construction season begins," Kutcher said.

"In terms of the other bigger pieces, so the east-west connector plan, now it is finalizing and reviewing the existing plan, making sure that it's robust, getting the right input that we need and then taking it forward and getting started."

Another $1.4 million has been set aside for water and sewer utility upgrades. Rates will be going up, with residents paying about $127 more per year on their water bills.

Property taxes and electricity rates remain unchanged.

Kutcher said this budget is a "stay-the-course budget" that will help city navigate challenging times.

"The reality is the same here at City Hall [as it] is in people's homes: Things right now cost a lot more than they did," he said.