Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Friday, September 29, 2023
Delivering News to the Nickel Belt since 1960
Municipal mill rate, business tax stay the same as last year in 2023 city budget
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Volume 63 • Issue 36
Level 3 electric vehicle charger installed, wired and awaiting inspection
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Approval of the City of repairs on homeowners’ About 70 per cent of the Thompson’s 2023 levy by- properties, provided they cost of this year’s capital law, which passed second are at least one metre from project comes from grants and third reading in 7-1 the foundation of the home. and contributions, with anvotes at the September 25 This year’s levy, which cov- other 30 per cent combined council meeting, officially ers the actual cost of all from reserves. established this year’s prop- eligible repairs in 2022, is “I think $16.8 million in $96.21 per property. erty tax mill rates. capital work, a property tax The municipal mill rate The owner of a commer- freeze and also a business remains the same as it has cial property valued at $1 tax freeze is good news for the past two years, at million would pay $581 for our city,” said Deputy 26.15 mills. The School less in property taxes af- Mayor Kathy Valentino, District of Mystery Lake ter rebates than last year if who presented the financial levy is 20.137 mills for a the property’s assessment plan at a public hearing imtotal residential mill rate of hadn’t changed. If the as- mediately before Monday’s 46.287. This is just under sessment had gone from $1 council meeting. one per cent less than it was million last year to $1.018 Councillor Brian Lundlast year, thanks to a slight million this year, property mark said the money spent reduction in the school dis- taxes would be $22 more on capital now should pay trict mill rate. after accounting for rebate dividends in coming years. Commercial properties cheques. “It should save us more also pay an 8.14 mill eduThis year’s overall money in the future with cation support levy for a budget is $51,037,177, the newer infrastructure and total commercial mill rate with about $34.2 million piping that’s going in the of 54.427, almost two per in operational spending ground,” he said. cent lower than last year and nearly $17 million in Even with the transfers as a result of the education capital spending. About 40 from reserves included in support levy dropping. The per cent of revenues come the 2023 financial plan, business tax rate remains from support grants, with the City of Thompson still unchanged from the past the remaining $31.5 million has about $20 million in several years at 3.99 per made up of property tax reserves. cent. revenues ($15.5 million), The city is using only The property taxes on user fees ($10.9 million) 7.5 per cent of its total debt a home that was valued and transfer from reserves capacity. Payments, which at $175,000 in 2022 and ($5 million). Between new total about $1.25 million Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham the same amount this year properties added onto the this year, will drop to less Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. would go down by $219 tax rolls and an increase than $200,000 by 2027 and once the $350 education in value of 1.18 per cent to zero in 2029, based on BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather thingsofthat you have ‘Oh, I’m just property tax credit and a to as write a result properties existing debtsasatbad, the right?’ end of was not a very safe thing swallow when people say EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar rebate cheque from the gov- being reassessed, the city 2023. The City of was Thompson’s Level 3 electric vehicle charger has been installed and conThough she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that exciting should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it ernment of $443 are taken of Thompson will receive As a result of the delay nected to the electrical system at the Thompson Regional Community Centre, though it a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would into account. If the home about $225,000 more in my in developing this year’s isn’t yet ready to start powering up EV batteries quite yet. ces up inatChurchill, titled Whispers in because lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchwasgrowing reassessed a value her tax book, revenues than last year financialthey planwill andbegetting Wiring ofIthe charger, purchased through a partnership between the City of Thompson Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and realized, ‘Holy choose live there. They ill in a heartbeat. of $178,150 this year, prop- despite the mill rate staying it approved, the deadline and the provincial government, which to both contributed $20,000, and Eco-West Canada, Manitoba director - Life in Churchill for forShe also has a reputation I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I erty taxesnorthern would drop by North the same. property tax payments cats, which will pay up to $50,000, as well as a private donation of $6,000, was due to be Gisele deMeulles saidand writ-a a couple of reasons. storytelleruntil herself. a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the $167 after the credit Road repaving and water as wasa extended October on completed on September 22. ing wasn’t something she main “I just sort of thought, hadyear. such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though rebate cheque of $457 were renewal, both multi- 31“Ithis It couldher be inspected by Manitoba Hydro as early as this week. Once it passes inspection, always know what, this his- tory andwill I would tell people on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and applied.thought she would you year projects funded mostly “We be starting the spurred the unit can be powered up, though it won’t be available for use until it is commissioned do.Residential property tax tory, this stuff that’s my stories and they go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson by the provincial andinfed2024 budget verywould shortly,” and training on its use provided by Eco-West. The date for that is still being scheduled. “Inalso myinclude youth aI special never head, it’s going to account be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’Smook I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go bills eral government, said Mayor Colleen Thesuspended City of Thompson has have not yet determined if the charger, located in the visitor felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, the option to do that? back home, standing on the way operations levy to cover the costs of for about 80 per cent of this before voting in favour of parking section near the south entrance to the TRCC, will be available at no cost or on said. “Butsewer when I moved didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on kidsworks. are not go- ‘You water and service line said. year’s“My capital the levy bylaw. a pay-per-use basis. to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” Linda has experience in back, some of ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this,reMARKable she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories bethose experiences are things issues that matter to the North: a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. Health and came out of thereCare, with Education, stories at ParksBusiness, Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the Agriculture, Leadership, Volunteerism writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “Vote for me to support freight to our towns.” my writing. I write very lower put it on tape, Irates will write it remote deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel
thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in VOTE SMART. VOTE MARKUS said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker members still are. “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personhardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace alAgent growth and struggles. Authorized by Official of Linda Markus says. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”
Linda MARKUS