Wawa Municipal Council's calling on the Algoma District Services Administration Board to review its apportionment calculation.
As recommended by outside firm Municipal Government Wayfinders in the 2021 municipal transformation report, the Municipality's pursuing a review of the model - that firm suggested Wawa could save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, with a 2022 report on the issue from Municipal Tax Equity Consultants coming to a similar conclusion.
The main issue is the way the formula considers the "power dam compensatory payment" that Wawa receives from the provincial government - in lieu of property taxes from local hydro dams, which used to be taxable - as the payment is not indexed to inflation - it's currently just over $2.3-million but would be nearly $3.3-million if it had kept up with inflation - and the Municipality has continually noted uncertainty about the payment, which is only confirmed around this time each year and was almost eliminated or reduced by previous provincial governments.
A resolution passed in last night's regular Council meeting notes the reports' findings and those factors - and that the apportionment formula hasn't been reviewed since it was established in 2002 - before calling for the review.
The resolution further appointed Mayor Melanie Pilon as "the main spokesman and champion" to bring the matter to the attention of the ADSAB board.