Iqaluit property tax, water rates to rise

Property taxes and water billswill be going up this year for Iqaluit property owners after city council passed this year'sbudget of about $43 million Thursday night.

The water rate will go up by two per cent this year.The mill rate will increase by one and a half points for all property owners. Last year, there was no increase for some residential owners.

Chief Administrative Officer John Hussey said he was pleased.

"Council has done their job," he said.

"They've done a thorough analysis of the requests that come from administration for expenses. They really deliberated quite long on the mill rate and the water increase rate, and they were fully informed and they made the decision they had to make."

Hussey said the mill rate increase helps the city balance the books, and that is important especially with a large project like the new aquatic centre on the horizon because potential lenders will take a close look at the 2013 budget.

Three new positions at the Iqaluit Fire Department were also approved in the budget,along with two new positionsin municipal enforcement: an additional bylaw officer and an animal control officer.

Council denied a request from bylaw for$15,000to buya snowmobile.