The Charlottetown Transit system will expand into Stratford this year as the town goes on a growth-fuelled spending spree.
Stratford, just across the Hillsborough River from Charlottetown, is P.E.I.'s fastest growing community, and while many municipalities are tightening their belts this year due to a provincially imposed property assessment freeze, Stratford is finding the money for two buses and a new police officer.
"They were both big priorities; both issues are really important to the development of Stratford, to maintaining a safe, effective community - an accessible community," said Mayor Kevin Jenkins.
"We found a way to bring them both into this year's budget."
Stratford council made the announcement at its meeting Wednesday evening. Contributing to the Charlottetown transit system will cost Stratford taxpayers about $130,000 a year. The new RCMP officer, taking the town's complement from five to six, will add $100,000 a year to the town's costs.
Finance chair Emile Gallant said all of this will be done without raising taxes.
"We've calculated what we have in revenues coming in," said Gallant.
"If next year and the following year is a little tight, well if we have to look at cutting a few things here we will look at that. But we will not be raising taxes to pay for these services."
The new officer should be walking the beat by this summer, while buses will start rolling along the streets of Stratford and into Charlottetown by the fall.
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