You are getting a break on your water bill and property taxes, as part of $672,000 worth of financial help from Thunder Bay City Council.
Councillors approved a package of relief measures at their Monday night meeting, including waiving business-related permit and licensing fees for the next three months.
The plan is meant to help residents and businesses struggling with lost pay and extra costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the approval of the motion, the city is waiving the water penalty and fee for non-sufficient funds for the next 90 days.
It is also setting up an emergency fund of $235,000 for Community, Youth & Cultural Funding Program recipients. The city will get in touch with the 19 organisations that are funded by that program to arrange how they will get that emergency money.
Any marriage license due to expire during the provincial state of emergency will be re-issued at no cost, which would normally cost at least $125. The city is also waiving the $20 price of commissioning a document through the Office of the City Clerk.
Deferring property tax payments from May 6 to July 8 makes up $269,000 of the cost.
Red River Ward Councillor Brian McKinnon called the list “a pretty good start,” saying the city should focus on addressing the things it can control during the pandemic.
Earlier this month, the city also waived the cost for metred parking for two hours at a time, and allowed residents to delay paying parking tickets without incurring extra fees. A report to City Council says these measures mean the city will lose out on around $80,000 in revenue each month.
The city is also losing out on around $420,000 per month by making transit free.
Thunder Bay currently has three confirmed cases of COVID-19, all of whom the Thunder Bay District Health Unit says are self-isolating at home.
