The municipal share of the Kenora District Services Board budget for 2025 is about 5.5 percent higher.
Local municipalities will pay about 3 percent more, and residents in the unincorporated areas will see an increase closer to 7.5 percent.
Henry Wall is the CEO of the KDSB and says costs for everything continues to rise, especially the vehicles they use for ambulances.
“The cost of an ambulance…whereas every four ambulances we would purchase in the past that same money will buy us three,” explained Wall.
“So, it’s about a 25 percent increase, in just the cost of acquiring an ambulance.”
Wall adds that maintaining their housing stock is also expensive.
“It’s about $6 million towards the existing housing stock across the district. Our board is very strong in its belief that if you don’t address the issue today, and delay until tomorrow, it’s just going to be more expensive tomorrow.”
The total budget for the KDSB this year is about $116 million dollars or a 26.76% increase over the 2024 budget
Wall say the $10 a day daycare subsidy has a lot to do with their budget increase this year.
He adds that this year’s budget is the highest in the history of the KDSB.
