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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, January 30, 2015 | 4 Halton Region to hike property taxes 1.5 per cent by Bob Mitchell Special to the Beaver Halton property owners will have to dig into their wallets, but the increased costs for regional and police services in 2015 will still be far less than a 24-case of beer. Regional council on Wednesday approved an operating budget of $464.3 million for regional services, calling for a 1.5 per cent property tax hike. That means owners of an average home assessed at $400,000 in Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills will pay $844, about $12 more than they paid in 2014. Average homeowner will pay When the approved police budget is added into the mix, the average home owner will pay a combined tax of $1,332 in 2015 or roughly $20 more than what they paid last year. Essentially, the overall tax increase is about $5 per $100,000 of residential assessment in the budget presented by Mark Scinocca, Halton's Finance Commissioner and Regional Treasurer. For the full tax impact, residents must add education and municipal tax increases to the Regional tax hike. Regional taxes pay for a variety of Halton services, such as water and wastewater, people with services, maintaining financial stability, economic growth and adapting to climate change. "The budget includes a continued focus on investments in the planning and delivery of services and in meeting the service demands related to provincially-mandated growth," Scinocca said. "The Region's 2015 budget includes significant investments in Regional assets, infrastructure and facilities. The budget is based on the solid financial planning principles for which Halton is recognized. It continues the Region's focus on maintaining service levels, making strategic investments and maintaining the tax rate increase for Regional services within the rate of inflation." Region's 2015 budget highlights Highlights include an additional $1 million for additional paramedic staff and vehicles, $200,000 for crisis prevention, COMMANDE, a multi-agency initiative committed to the health and safety of the community by providing real-time, co-ordinated responses to high-risk situations, $5.5 million for strengthened emergency management including emergency generator systems strategically placed in the Region and a further $378,000 to increase the Region's capacity to respond to emergencies and urgent incidents that impact the community. Halton Regional Centre located on Bronte Road just north of the QEW. | Oakville Beaver file photo regional roads and planning, paramedic services, public health and social assistance, various children's and seniors' services, non-profit housing, heritage programs and emergency management and economic development. In addition to regional services, on the average, Halton residents can expect to see their water bills increase by 4.9 per cent or $42 next year. Water and wastewater services aren't supported by property taxes under provincial orders. Scinocca said the budget was driven by several factors such as investments to maintain existing infrastructure, connecting SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1st, 2015 PREVIEW FROM 1 to 2 P.M. - AUCTION AT 2 P.M. MANY NEW AND VALUABLE DIAMOND JEWELLERY PREVIOUSLY SEIZED BY CANADIAN CUSTOMS. 14KT. AND 18KT. YELLOW AND WHITE GOLD DIAMOND JEWELLERY; SOLITAIRES, RINGS, EARRINGS, STUDS, BRACELETS NECKLACES, BANGLES, ETC. WITH CERTIFIED NATURAL RUBIES, SAPPHIRES, EMERALDS AND OTHER VALUABLE GEMS. ALL IMPORTATION DUTIES AND TAXES PAID SUPPLEMENTED WITH RARE SWISS MADE WATCHES, GOLD AND SILVER BARS/COINS AND OTHER COLLECTIBLE JEWELLS. AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEED. PUBLIC AUCTION FINAL NOTICE legal matters Labour, EmpLoymEnt and Human rigHts LaW AIRPORT SEIZED JEWELLERY What is a wrongful dismissal under Canadian law? Q a Wesley Jamieson Wesley is an associate with Ross & McBride LLP, practising in the Labour, Employment and Human Rights Law Group. He has a unique person-to-person approach to the practice of law and fights hard to have his client's diverse interests recognized and respected. In doing so, Wesley works passionately towards strategic and innovative legal solutions for clients facing fundamental adversity or changes in their lives, communities, or organizations. His experience, hard-work, and diplomacy enable him to advocate ardently for clients in this manner, with candour. If you're an employee, rest assured: in most cases your employer is automatically prevented from terminating you (or fundamentally changing your conditions of work) without giving you reasonable notice first. If they don't, something called pay in lieu of notice is normally required. Read on... The point of this law is to give people time to find new work before being pushed out of their old job, or to provide `pay in lieu' if no notice is given. But how much time, or reasonable notice, is an employee entitled to? The answer depends on factors like age, seniority, level of responsibility and the availability of similar jobs. Each case is different. So whether you're an employer or an employee, consider getting legal advice about what `reasonable notice' means in the circumstances, as well as your other rights and obligations. If no notice is provided ­ or not enough ­ the employment `contract' has probably been wrongfully broken and pay in lieu of notice may be required. A lot of employers now simply provide pay (instead of notice) but this is where the name `wrongful dismissal' comes from. The key is getting the period of notice `right'. The conclusion is: get advice even if you're unsure about your status! Why? For many readers, Ontario's Employment Standards Act will apply ­ but this legislation only sets out employees' minimum entitlements, whereas judge-made law (common law) will typically entitle employees to longer periods of notice (or more pay in lieu of notice) ­ especially if employees search diligently but cannot find similar work. ROLEX - CARTIER - PIAGET - OMEGA CHOPARD - BREITLING - IWC - PATEK PHILIPPE GLENERIN INN AND SPA - MISSISSAUGA 1695 THE COLLEGEWAY (For directions: 905 - 828-6103) Government Issued Photo ID required upon registration. Payments: Visa, M.C., Debit, Cash and Certified Cheques. Some reserves may apply. Sale subject to additions, deletions, errors and omissions. 15% buyers premium & applicable taxes to be added. GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED NUMISMATICS AND CANADIAN BANKS ISSUED GOLD AND SILVER COINS AND BARS www.csauctions.ca 1 King Street West, 10th Floor Hamilton, L8P 1a4 905-526-9800 www.rossmcbride.com wjamieson@rossmcbride.com The advice offered in this advertorial column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute any professional, financial, medical, legal, or other professional advice.