Town approves new building permit fee rates
By Chris Simon

Building permit fees will be bumped up by five per cent.

Innisfil council passed a few changes to the town's current fees and charges, including the increase, during a meeting last week. The increase is expected to generate $38,200 in additional revenues for the town, said treasurer Ian Goodfellow.

"The proposed fees changes are designed to ensure that the cost of providing a particular service is recovered," he said in a report to council. "The estimated financial impacts of the new fees have been incorporated in the respective service area's 2008 operating budgets."

With the increase, town building permit fees would be about average, when compared to other local municipalities.

Of six other municipalities surveyed, Clearview, King, Barrie and New Tecumseth all have fees that are equal to or higher than Innisfil's. Last year, the town generated nearly $758,000 in building permit fee revenue. An increase in planned construction would see that amount rise to about $823,000, without the five per cent hike.

A report from Hemson Consulting has suggested town building permit fees could be increased by about 87.7 per cent. They have already been increased by about 10.25 per cent since the report was released.