WATCH: St. Paul interim budget passes with 3% tax increase

The Town of St. Paul council passed the 2025 interim budget in December, with roughly a three per cent tax increase.

The total for the operating budget is just under $22 million

This is based on estimates that property assessments will drop slightly, as well as the Regional Seniors & Affordable Housing Requisition set to increase with the goal of building a brand new lodge to replace Sunnyside Manor.

Hitting the operating budget hard is the RCMP policing contract, which is a $2.32 million expense, and doesn’t include additional admin staff or other expenses.

“Policing is the second largest investment that we make in our community,” said Mayor Maureen Miller on The Morning After.

“It doesn’t include our peace officers that we have already in town, and it doesn’t include some of the extras that come along on top of that contract. We do biological testing. That’s a moving target every year. They’re all parts and parses of us having a safe community.

“When we’re dealing with already a $22 million budget, and we’re taking those off the top, it doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room.”

Full Budget discussion

A longform conversation about the Town’s upcoming budget, with discussion about the real dollar tax implications, the new Sunnyside Manor, can be seen here with Mayor Maureen Miller and CAO Steven Jeffrey.