Tori Sutton
Staff Reporter

Residents seeking approvals or inspections from City Hall may soon be paying significantly more for those services.

At last week’s meeting – while sitting as the planning and heritage and public works committees – council voted to accept the fee increases.

However, none will take effect until citizens get their say at a public meeting, scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 23 at the Stratford Rotary Complex.

Along with hikes to sign permit and variance fees, awning permit fees and site plan applications, B&B owners will face an increase in cost for annual inspections.

The cost for the first room would remain the same at $150, but the inspection fee for every room thereafter would rise to $91 from $10.

Director of building and planning Barbara Dembek said the fees for B&B inspections have not increased since they were established in 2001.

“That is cost recovery,” she told council.

The proposed increases would allow the city to recoup financial losses it is currently absorbing by subsidizing the permits and inspections.

There are also proposed increases to permit fees under the fence and hedge bylaw, standard fees and charges and trade licencing.

Coun. George Brown was concerned about the burden the increased fees would cause, especially considering the Harmonized Sales Tax is set to take effect next year.

“Are we trying to put them out of business or are we trying to keep them in business?” said Brown, referring to local B&Bs.

It may be especially difficult for those who are paying the Stratford Tourism Alliance destination marketing fee, he added.

However, other councillors were concerned about the bottom line and feared if the city doesn’t take steps to recoup its cost, it could be the taxpayers who suffer.

“If we don’t go to work and try to cover cover out costs, wait and see for a 10 per cent tax increase,”

Coun. Keith Culliton said. “The costs have got to be covered and now.”

Some councillors seemed shock by the cost of some approvals, including driveway widening.

Currently, the city isn’t charging anything to approve a widening but  the building and planning department has pegged the true cost at $552.30. The department has proposed the fee be set at $100.

“It just seems excessive but I guess it’s the cost of labour today,” said Coun. Paul Nickel.

Coun. Dave Gaffney said such a job could take anywhere from four to nine hours and the cost adds up quickly.

“Our taxes are high and one of the reasons why is that we ask the taxpayers to pay for everything.
Let’s start getting the cost recovery going, where the taxpayers aren’t paying for everyone’s driveway widening. If you want your driveway widened, you pay for it.”