If the city had to replace all of its core infrastructure assets, like roads and bridges, the cost would be $2.1 billion.
That information is included in the city’s asset management plan which shows an annual funding shortfall of $27.4 million.
Deputy Mayor Tanya Vrebosch says they continue to advocate with the provincial and federal governments to get as much infrastructure money as possible.
“The more that we invest, we still can’t keep up,” she says.
Vrebosch says the plan is a great first step that will help future councils make decisions on capital projects.
Councillor Mac Bain says the next series of councils will have challenges.
“There is always going to be an infrastructure deficit because of the current revenue tools that we have. It’s not going to be able to tackle it,” he says.”We need new creative ways to raise taxes that are not on the backs of taxpayers.”
Bain says it’s not just North Bay, either.
“The municipal infrastructure deficit in the province of Ontario is $6 billion.”
He says they need help from Queen’s Park and Ottawa, saying taxpayers can’t fund all of that on their own.
