Hal County Affordability Review

Facing massive third-party costs in a largely tourism-based economy, Haliburton County Council is taking the proactive step to see what can be done to improve the financial sustainability of the County and its two-tier structure by hiring a consultant to look at its current governance model.At a recent special session, Gary Dyke, Haliburton County CAO, presented a report, entitled Exploring the Future of Haliburton County: An Affordability and Governance Structure Study, which focused on the fiscal strain placed on the county and the resulting impacts on the tax levy and infrastructure budgets.Dyke told councilors legislated payments to external bodies take up more than 50 per cent of the tax rate increases which divert monies from local priorities, including roads, bridges, and emergency response and permanent residents shoulder those costs.The County of Haliburton currently faces significant capital investment requirements of more than $70 million over the next 8-10 years for roads and large vehicle replacement. Meanwhile, Haliburton County's lower-tier municipalities face similar fiscal challenges. Dyke said current funding models in Haliburton's rural tourism-based economy do not meet the needs of the capital and operating realities.