EWSWA brings a 4.1 per cent budget increase to Essex County council

By Ron Giofu

Essex County council received an update on this year’s Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority (EWSWA) budget.

EWSWA Michelle Bishop and manager of finance and administration Stephan Brisebois appeared before county council where they outlined the 4.1 per cent increase.

According to the report from Bishop and Brisebois: “The 2023 increase represents $261,050 for County of Essex municipalities, which is in addition to the $6,406,220 that was budgeted to be assessed to those municipalities for 2022. Further, for 2023, the seven county municipalities are forecasted to be assessed an additional $4,100 related to the estimated increase in the amount of refuse delivered for disposal from 53,350 tonnes budgeted in 2022 to 53,450 tonnes estimated for 2023.”

The 2023 increase represents $305,190 for Windsor, the report states, “which is in addition to the $7,404,520 that was budgeted to be assessed to Windsor for 2022. Further, for 2023, the City of Windsor is forecasted to be assessed an additional $37,720 related to the estimated increase in the amount of refuse delivered for disposal from 58,000 tonnes budgeted in 2022 to 58,920 tonnes estimated for 2023. “

Bishop acknowledged a Feb. 2018 recommendation from the CAO’s of both the County of Essex and City of Windsor, which read “that the Board acknowledge the built-in budget pressures due to increasing debenture payments and other non-discretionary costs and commit to working towards a sustainable, balanced budget over the next ten years while maintaining appropriate reserve funds and avoiding significant spikes in tipping fees. “

Bishop said 2018 was the first year of the ten-year period and “this means that the objective is to attain a balanced budget by the time of the preparation of the 2027 budget.”

Municipalities in Essex County as well as the City of Windsor will face an assessment of $14.4 million in fixed costs this year, based on their populations. The EWSWA fee for waste delivered to the landfill has also been increased to $41 per tonne, a $1 increase.

The county points out the 2023 EWSWA budget anticipates that just over $35 million in expenditures and $17 million in fees from institutional, commercial and industrial users of the regional landfill, recycling sales, blue box funding and other sources of revenue.

The transition of costs to producers, such as big box retailers, could provide relief to local blue box programs in future years, Bishop told county council.

About $17 million in revenue is collected from outside sources, approximately $7.7 million in revenue comes from Windsor while revenue from Essex County totals about $6.7 million, Bishop stated. There is a $3.8 million shortfall in revenues that will be covered by EWSWA’s rate stabilization fund.

Bishop’s report indicated 4.1 per cent increases are forecast each year through 2027. The budget has to be approved by both county and Windsor city councils.