‘Money grab’: Stormwater charge and fee increases an added burden on Brampton taxpayers, councillor says

Decisions on whether or not to increase stormwater fees in Brampton have been put on pause after one councillor raised issues with the plan, calling it “a money grab” that will hurt residents.

“It’s just more money that we can get from residents and put it into a different (project) as far as I’m concerned,” Coin. Michael Palleschi said on Wednesday of proposed stormwater fee increases that could come in next year.

“I’m sorry to be so blunt,” he said after calling the city’s introduction of user fees coupled with an increase in charges “a money grab.”

The city has been working on a rejigged fee system for years, introducing a stormwater fee and charge “to rebalance the way stormwater charges are paid,” staff said.

Under the old system, residential properties were subsidising non-residential properties “to a great extent” according to staff, and the changes were intended to level the playing field between residential and non-residential owners.

The proposed increases would see stormwater fees of $92.03 for a medium-sized home in Brampton jump to $95.16 to adjust for inflation, while larger homes could see their fees go up to $123.71 from $119.64.

The city is projecting a shortfall of around $1 million gap stormwater service funding next year, and Mayor Patrick Brown tabled the increase until budget deliberations putting a pause on the increase, at least for now.

Coun. and Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh said the entire point of moving to a user fee was to “remove tax pressures, especially on residential home owners.”

“If it’s going to fall back on the tax base it will fall more on residents,” he said, saying the changes were intended to be a shift “towards non-residential” property owners paying their fair share.

He said the increases are “almost taking a back-step” if revenue losses are going onto residents’ property tax bills.

“If that’s what’s going to result from this, then it’s going to go back on the residents. The whole point of passing this in the first place (was) to avoid the pressures on the residents,” Singh said.

Palleschi also raised concerns with the city’s reserve funds and how money collected from stormwater fees is being used to fund Brampton’s downtown Riverwalk project.

The city is funding the Riverwalk through dwindling reserve funds, and Palleschi said he wants to ensure “that what we’re spending in the Riverwalk from the stormwater management fund is only for stormwater management.”

“All the extra bells and whistles, they don’t get any of that money because that’s not what it’s there for,” he said.

“Tax payers in my area are not paying for a fancy light in Riverwalk, but they’ll pay for the stormwater support that is needed, specifically for the downtown.”