April 17, 2023 at 3:00 am
The Essex Regional Conservation Authority (ERCA) has approved a budget of $9.7 million for 2023.
As part of this budget, partner municipalities will pay $3,768,235. This equates to $24.33 for a $300,000 household, an increase of $1.17 per household.
“The 2023 draft budget prioritizes the repair and replacement of greenway infrastructure such as bridges and culverts, and the urgent restoration of John R. Park Homestead’s museum and heritage buildings, which were identified in last year’s preliminary asset condition report,” said Tim Byrne, Cao.
The Essex Regional Conservation Authority is responsible for the conservation, restoration, development and management of natural resources.
Most of the budget ($6.2 million) is allocated to mandatory programming. Approximately $2.6 million has been awarded for non-mandatory projects such as tree planting on non-conservation-owned land, operations at Holiday Beach and John R. Park Homestead, water quality monitoring, agricultural extension services and community outreach programs.
The budget still needs approval from all member cities.