WARD SYSTEM OR NOT? - Part 2
October 7th, 2026
So, what does a ward system actually do for you?
It gives you a Councillor who lives in your part of Wasaga Beach and has a particular responsibility to understand the issues affecting your neighbourhood. You still have access to the Mayor and at-large Councillors, but you also have a clear local point of contact when you have a question, concern or idea.
More access.
More accountability.
Another door into your municipal government.
Okay, Aldona. What's this going to COST us?
That's a fair question.
And because taxpayer dollars matter, I went looking for the numbers.
The Town of Wasaga Beach currently estimates approximately $80,000 for an independent Ward Boundary Review if the October 26 ballot question results in moving forward with a ward system. The review would be considered through the 2027 budget process.
But here's something I think residents should know: $80,000 isn't necessarily the cost of a ward system.
It is an estimate for the review — the professional work needed to determine appropriate ward boundaries and Council composition.
So I looked at what other Ontario municipalities have budgeted or spent on similar reviews.
Here are some examples:
Orillia — $35,000
Huntsville — up to $40,000
Springwater — $50,000 budget; approximately $46,800 spent
Innisfil — $60,000
Lambton Shores — approximately $50,000–$60,000
Clarence-Rockland — $62,235 bid
Clarington — approximately $60,000–$70,000
New Tecumseth — up to $80,000
Wasaga Beach — approximately $80,000
Prince Edward County — approximately $75,000–$100,000
These aren't all identical projects, so they aren't an apples-to-apples comparison. The scope of each review matters. But they give us some context for Wasaga's estimate.
And there is another important point: The cost of the review is not necessarily the cost of implementing the new system.
For example, Welland recently changed its ward boundaries and reported that there were no additional costs to the City associated with implementing the new boundaries.
Other municipalities have budgeted separately for things such as additional staff resources, public communication and education.
Port Hope, for example, authorized separate amounts for a consultant, temporary staff resources and public communication—showing why we need to ask exactly what is included in the price tag.
PUTTING $80,000 IN PERSPECTIVE
The latest official property breakdown I could find shows 13,594 Wasaga Beach properties—13,358 household properties and 236 commercial/industrial properties.
If $80,000 were simply divided equally among those properties, it would work out to about $5.89 per property.
That's not how the tax bill would actually be calculated—but it gives us some perspective.
The bigger question isn't simply “Is $80,000 a lot of money?”
It's: What exactly are taxpayers getting for that $80,000?
I support asking these questions.
I also don't think we should automatically reject an idea because it costs money.
Good government costs money.
But good government also asks what we're getting for it.
That's the standard I would bring to Council.
Show me the numbers.
Explain the numbers.
And make sure the taxpayer gets value for the money.
That's how I think municipal decisions should be made.
Thanks for listening!
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