GUELPH – The board of health has approved the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health budget for 2025.
Passed at the Nov. 6 meeting, it includes $20.41 million in employee wages and benefits and $4.77 million in operating costs, for a total $25.18 million in 2025, which is a net 0.7 per cent increase over 2024.
Funding is shared between the Ministry of Health, the City of Guelph, and Wellington and Dufferin counties.
The ministry’s portion for 2025 is $15.4 million, which is a 1% increase over 2024.
Guelph’s portion is $4.5 million, Wellington County’s is $3.1 million, and Dufferin County’s is $2.1 million.
That’s an increase of 2.9% for the municipalities over last year’s tab.
The health unit will see some reduced expenses in 2025 because the mortgages on the Guelph and Orangeville properties are now paid in full.
That, and some other belt tightening, allowed the agency to return a balanced budget for 2025.
But there were challenges to get there, said vice president of human resources and corporate services David Kingma.
And he anticipates it will be worse by 2027.
Staff salaries and benefits rose by 3.7%, travel by 16.3%, and insurance and other purchased services are also on the rise.
“There is a revenue gap, and that trend continues,” Kingma said.
“We are keenly aware of the pressures municipalities are facing, but it will be challenging to balance in 2027 and beyond.”
He added, “As the population grows, so do the number of immunizations we give, the inspections we do. Additional work accompanies that growth.
“We will balance this year and next, but beyond that things look challenging.”
Kingma said the agency is looking at ways to generate revenue to be in a better financial position by 2027.
The board passed the budget without questions or comment other than from chair George Bridge, who said he appreciated staff “always looking ahead to see what’s coming up.”
Staff will now prepare an annual service plan to be sent with the budget to the Ministry of Health for approval, which usually occurs by the summer.
