Expanded relief grant access

County weighs future of low-income support program

A proposed overhaul of the County’s Municipal Financial Relief Grant program is aiming to close gaps in access and better direct support to residents most at risk of falling behind on basic costs.

Presented at the April 9 Committee of the Whole meeting, the updated 2026 guidelines would reshape how eligibility is calculated, who qualifies, and how much support households receive. The program provides credits on property taxes and water bills for low-income residents, and carries a proposed budget of $473,000.

Staff say the changes are intended to respond to inequities in the current system— particularly for larger households—and to reflect the growing financial pressures facing residents.

“The program does offer very meaningful support for low-income residents relative to the average bills, and we think it’s serving its purpose quite well,” said Julianne Snepsts, programs supervisor, who said they also looked at equity of access.

One of the most significant changes is the introduction of income thresholds that scale with household size. Under the existing model, eligibility did not adjust based on the number of people in a home, which meant some larger families were excluded despite having comparable or greater financial strain.

The revisions would also broaden eligibility to include residents who don’t receive traditional tax or water bills directly. This includes renters who pay water costs through their landlord, as well as those in leasehold communities— such as Wellington on the Lake—where property taxes are embedded in rental or lease payments.

At the same time, the program would introduce a more targeted approach to funding distribution. A new enhanced support stream would provide larger grants to the lowest-income households, with staff estimating that roughly 100 households would shift from the standard level of support into the higher tier.

While the changes were presented as improvements to fairness and effectiveness, they also prompted a broader discussion among councillors about the role of municipal government in addressing affordability.

Councillor Janice Maynard questioned whether the program represents a growing financial obligation that should instead be addressed at the provincial level.

“When we have so many things to look after we need to make sure that the province in particular is taking care of their responsibilities. It’s only going to get worse and then the taxpayers of the County will have more and more people that are struggling,” said Maynard. “It’s like enabling, I just don’t want to be the enabler.”

Councillor Kate MacNaughton said it was about balancing tax increases with relief.

“Over years, it has continued to allow us to raise the taxes that we need without pushing people out of the County because their costs are becoming too high,” said MacNaughton. “I don’t think it should be abandoned.”

The motion passed and will be ratified at the April 21 council meeting.