Kincardine puts $600,000 in 2025 budget for Kincardine Hospital capital campaign

Kincardine council has agreed to include $600,000 in the 2025 budget for the Kincardine Hospital redevelopment project.

During the budget meeting, Jan. 27, councillor Rory Cavanagh put forward a motion to add the money to the capital budget, with $400,000 coming from the contingency reserve and $200,000 from the tax rate.

“Our community is growing,” he said. “We have younger family members moving here, and we have retired people coming here. Everybody uses the hospital. We know it is a significant cost and it’s not a municipal responsibility, but it’s important that we take steps to improve our infrastructure.”

Councillor Stellina Williams asked if this amount was already committed to the project.

Treasurer Roxana Baumann said $1.2-million has been set aside in the health care reserve fund for the hospital capital campaign.

Mayor Kenneth Craig said that was committed by the previous council. “Have we expended anything for 2025?”

“No,” said Baumann. “We’ve been accumulating those funds in that reserve from previous years.”

Williams said she understood the commitment was $600,000 per year for four years.

Baumann said that was the commitment from previous councils; however, they cannot commit future councils to any financial amount.

Chief administrative officer Jillene Bellchamber-Glazier agreed, saying that the decision has be made each budget year, to put $600,000 in the budget.

Councillor Mike Hinchberger said he would prefer none of this funding came from the tax rate. He cited surpluses over the years which have gone into the contingency reserve.

Councillor Bill Stewart said the subject of municipal funding of health care is very polarizing for the community. He objected to using tax dollars for the hospital project, especially $200,000 from the tax rate which equates to a one-per-cent increase.

“Part of affordable housing is being able to pay your taxes,” he said. “We have a lot of people on fixed incomes, and this is going to dig into other things like food and a vehicle. I support the hospital but we shouldn’t penalize the taxpayer.”

Cavanagh put forward a friendly amendment, that the entire $600,000 come from the contingency reserve.

Stewart recommended the municipality maintain its $2.4-million commitment to the hospital project, with $300,000 from the contingency reserve this year. But that received no support.

“The money all comes from the taxpayer regardless of whether it comes from the tax rate or a reserve,” said Craig. “Our commitment to the hospital funding should be confirmed and fulfilled. Even $400,000 should come from the operating budget and the reserve fund. We have a lot of money going into a lot of payments.”

Cavanagh’s friendly amendment was approved, and the motion to commit $600,000 toward the hospital project, funded from the contingency reserve, was approved, 4-3, in a recorded vote. Deputy mayor Andrea Clarke, Cavanagh, Hinchberger and Williams were in favour, while Stewart, Craig and councillor Beth Blackwell voted against. Councillors Amanda Steinhoff-Gray and Jennifer Prenger were absent.