The 2019 Region of Waterloo budget has been approved by council.
The total operating and capital budget comes in at $1.5 billion for the next fiscal year.
That’s an average household increase of $59 in the upcoming year.
Included in the budget is funding to hire more police officers for the first time in five years.
Local paramedics also received funding for increased resources, but not as much as they were hoping for.
Earlier this month the paramedics union asked for four additional 24 hour ambulances, but instead got two 12 hour ambulances.
“Certainly we are happy that the budget was approved for 2019, but if we were looking at the master plan and what staffing levels are for 2019, we are still short three 24-hour ambulances,” Said Luke McCann, President of local paramedics union, through a statement.
The budget also includes funding for more personal support workers to provide improved care at Sunnyside Home.
Improved transit service, including expanded transit to Cambridge was also included.
