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Berwick taxpayers will be paying more this year as the town invests in reserves for future projects.

Town councillors recently passed the $7.35-million operating budget that sees the residential and commercial tax rates each increase by five cents per $100 of a property’s assessed value.

“We have made a conscious effort to start with what we’re calling investing in our future,” Mayor Mike Trinacty said. “We realize that we can’t be going year to year and have a yo-yo tax rate because there are too many important things residents want.”

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The list includes streets repaved and wastewater treatment upgrades. Trinacty said climate change also continues to have an impact on its infrastructure.

The town included a chart in its budget presentation showing what a tax rate change would mean for an average residential capped home valued at $211,718, $350,000 and $500,000. The Capped Assessment Program (CAP), administered by the Property Valuation Services Corporation, sets a cap on the amount the taxable assessment for eligible residential property can increase in a year.

A home owner with capped assessment of $211,718, would pay $3,299 in taxes at the $1.558 rate and $3,404 at the $1.608 rate for a difference of $105 in 2025-26.

Chief administrative officer Jen Boyd said the CAP rate, which is based on the Nova Scotia Consumer Price Index, was set at 1.5 per cent so everyone would have seen a $48 increase had the tax rates remained the same.

Looking back

The rate increase comes after the town dropped the rates two cents in 2024-25 after lowering them a cent the year before.

“Our approach this year was realizing that we need to invest in the future,” Trinacty said.

He said the money for future capital projects wasn’t going to be available if the town didn’t start planning now.

The town is putting $75,000 – equivalent to about three cents on the tax rates – in its reserves for future capital infrastructure. It will help get its financial indicators in the safe area based on a provincial formula.

Budget

A third of the town’s expenses are beyond its control. It includes policing (13 per cent) and education (nine per cent).

And as residents and business owners see their costs increase, the town is also noticing the difference.

“Most of the costs of things are going up far more than inflation,” Trinacty said. “Nobody is at two per cent.”

The town is a bit different than many other municipalities as it has its own electric commission. The mayor pointed out while there is a cost, there are many benefits including the ability to share resources between the two entities. Without the commission, Trinacty said some town jobs might only be part-time.

Growth

One way the town could bring in more revenue, without raising taxes, is by growing the tax base.

“We are limited. We only have a certain amount of land mass for the town,” Trinacty said, but “there’s still room for lots of growth.”

The mayor said the town is reviewing its municipal planning strategy and land use bylaws. The full plan is expected to go to a public hearing in the near future. If passed by council, it would then need provincial approval.

One of the things it is considering is providing greater opportunities to have different types of housing.

“Increased housing is increased revenue,” Trinacty said.

But, the mayor added the town wants to make sure it is the right development in the right location.

“We need to be more creative too in our commercial and industrial development,” he said. “We do have some properties that are sitting and aren’t being used.”

The town is conducting a traffic study and stormwater management plan to provide long-term guidance, so staff can bring forward well-thought-out plans for future capital projects.

“Our staff do a great job, they leave no stone unturned when it comes to looking for other revenue sources – federal or provincial – to do some of these projects,” Trinacty said.

Looking back

A look at the residential and commercial tax rates in Berwick for 2025-26 and the past five years. Both rates are per $100 of assessed property value.

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