Brandon bus fares, other fees set to rise in new year
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The City of Brandon is preparing to increase fees for recreation, transit and marriage ceremonies by amounts ranging from two to almost eight per cent in the new year.
The new fee schedule is set to be approved by council later this month.
Troy Tripp, the city’s director of finance, told the Sun in an email on Thursday that hikes for services — which also include waste collection, inspections and police services — are necessary “to ensure that taxpayers aren’t subsidizing individual choices.”
A Brandon Transit bus turns west onto Pacific Avenue from the downtown terminal at Eighth Street. Bus fares are slated to go up by 10 cents per ride under a new City of Brandon fee schedule expected to be adopted by council on Dec. 15. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun files)
“The city’s annual fee schedule outlines charges for a wide range of services and goods offered beyond the core municipal functions funded through property taxes,” Tripp said.
“These fees apply only to optional services — things residents or businesses choose to use, such as landfill tipping, golf, facility rentals, specialized permits, or special event police security.”
The proposed increases are mainly due to the rising cost of materials, labour, maintenance and repair, a council report says.
For most of the services, the price hikes are to ensure the city is able to make back the money it costs to run them.
Council on Monday deferred a recommendation that would see the costs come into affect on Jan. 1. Adoption of the schedule is recommended for the Dec. 15 council meeting.
Here’s how the changes to the cost of services break down, according to the report:
Waste
Commercial tipping fees for garbage would increase $2 per tonne. Residential fees would increase to $8 for a maximum of 200 kilograms of garbage, with tips heavier than 200 kilograms costing commercial prices.
Tipping fees in the material recovery facility would rise an average of 2.4 per cent. Commercial-source separated materials would increase 2.5 per cent.
Other waste fees would rise about two per cent on average.
Recreation
Individual admission for the Sportsplex and Kinsmen pools would increase by 25 cents, with family admission at the Kinsmen Pool going up by 50 cents.
Facility rentals for the Sportsplex would rise by 2.6 per cent. Aquafit rates would go up 2.2 per cent. Swimming lessons and lifeguard training costs would jump 2.9 per cent.
Racquetball fees would increase by 25 cents per person.
Hourly arena fees would jump 7.7 per cent and individual drop-in fees by 25 cents.
Track rentals would increase by 5.3 per cent, while infield rentals would go up by 5.7 per cent.
Monthly memberships to the Sportsplex would rise by $2.50.
Minor sports groups would get a 20 per cent discount on facility rentals at the Sportsplex.
Green fees for the Wheat City Golf Course would rise 7.8 per cent. Golf cart storage fees would increase by 3.3 per cent, while golf cart rentals would jump between $1 and $3.
Reduced green fees for non-peak hours would be available and kids under 12 would be free when accompanied by an adult.
Emergency services
Long-distance trips for ambulances, along with wait time, cancellation fees, file search fees, special events and clinical on-car rotations, are proposed to increase an average of 2.8 per cent.
Fire inspections and other fire service fees would rise an average of 2.9 per cent.
Police service fees, which would include getting fingerprints and police reports, would rise an average of 2.8 per cent.
City facilities
Marriage ceremonies would increase by 3.8 per cent.
Cemetery fees would increase three per cent while plot and internment rates would rise an average of three per cent.
Landing fees and terminal charges at the airport would rise 2.5 per cent and equipment rates would rise 2.8 per cent. The airport improvement fee would remain at $15.
City equipment
Service and equipment rental would increase about 2.5 to three per cent. Signage and barrier costs would increase 2.5 to five per cent. Meter head installation would increase 2.7 per cent.
Other
Transit fares would increase by 10 cents per ride, or about five per cent.
Development services permit fees would increase on average 2.5 per cent and oversize moving permits by $1.
Rates for treasurer’s certificates, account confirmations and mortgage company property-tax listing would increase an average of 2.9 per cent.
Building fees would increase about 2.7 per cent and related planning fees would increase about 2.5 per cent.
» alambert@brandonsun.com