City Proposes Changes to Community Services Fees for 2025
Owen Sound’s Community Services Committee will review proposed fee changes on May 21, including updates to parks, recreation, cemetery, and planning charges. Council consideration follows May 26.
Owen Sound’s Community Services Committee will review, but not vote on, proposed updates to the City’s fees and charges at its meeting on Tuesday, May 21. According to the staff report, user fees and charges are projected to generate just over $10.6 million—about 22 percent of the City’s 2025 operating budget.
Each spring, City staff undertake an annual review of user fees and charges. For 2025, the process has been revised. The Community Services Committee will review the updates and have the opportunity to provide feedback to Council.
The proposed changes span several service areas, including parks and recreation, cemetery services, and planning. If approved by Council on May 26, the new fees will take effect on July 1, 2025.
Key Proposed Changes for 2025
Ice rental fees will shift to follow the ice season rather than the calendar year. Rates will now take effect September 1 and run through March 31, streamlining contracts and reducing mid-season adjustments.
Bayshore Community Centre room rentals will move from daily flat rates to hourly pricing, allowing for online booking and greater scheduling flexibility. Minimum rental durations will help maintain revenue levels.
Harrison Park pool admission fees will decrease across several categories, aiming to increase usage. A new swim sponsorship program would allow individuals or organizations to sponsor a 90-minute free public swim for $240, or two weekly swims for a season for $3,500.
The Harrison Park picnic shelter rental fee is proposed to drop from $165 to $125 in response to low booking volumes since a previous price increase.
Cemetery services would see the addition of fees for Cabinet #6 inurnment rights (effective 2026), and a revised pricing method for monument foundations—switching from cubic feet to linear inches measurements.
Planning fees would be restructured to reflect actual costs more accurately, according to staff. These include shifting some flat fees to a cost-plus-administration model and raising the pre-consultation fee for minor site plans from $500 to $600. The by-law would also clarify that cash-in-lieu parking fees apply per space, rather than as a flat rate.
Other proposed changes include the removal of outdated or rarely used fees, such as off-season campground rates and Springfest Games registration charges, and the introduction of new fees for services like side glass removal at arenas and overnight dockage during fishing derbies.
Several administrative updates are also included to clarify how fees are applied or categorized.
What happens next?
The Community Services Committee will discuss the report on May 21 and make a recommendation to Council. Council will then consider the by-law at its May 26 meeting, with a final vote expected on June 16. If adopted, the updated fees will take effect July 1.
Residents can view the full list of proposed changes and supporting documents here:
2025 Proposed Fee Schedules – Community Services (PDF)
Questions about the report can be directed to Christine Gilbert, Deputy Treasurer, at cgilbert@owensound.ca or 519-376-4440 ext. 1223.