Letter from MAYOR TAYLOR

Investing to make Newmarket even better

We consistently hear from residents and visitors that Newmarket is an amazing place – one that balances small-town charm with bigger city amenities. This is the result of being strategic when we set priorities and allocate the resources to make them happen. It’s a balance forged each year in the cold dark days of February when we finalize the Town’s budget.

For much of this month, Newmarket staff and Council will be focused on the Town’s 2023 Budget. It is shaping up to be a very challenging budget. With inflation at its highest level in 40 years, everything costs more, but we know that delaying investment could be even more expensive in the long run. Saving today only to pass on the burden to the next generation is a false economy.

We’ve kept up momentum on our priorities through the pandemic, while other municipalities took a pause and we’re now well-positioned in our recovery, demonstrating the value of continuing to invest. We know we need to invest to keep our roads and infrastructure from crumbling. The crowds in our parks and on the trails during the pandemic also clearly showed how much we value being able to get outside and enjoy our public spaces.

We’ve managed escalating costs in past years. This year’s tax increase may be higher than in recent years, but we’re determined to keep Newmarket competitive in the short and long term, while still keeping taxes below the GTA average.

This approach has enabled us to build an amazing community, not merely an adequate town. As we address today’s challenges, we want to invest in Newmarket –invest in parks, trails, cultural programming, and places to come together – to build a vibrant community for the future where people want to live, work, and build a business.