The 2020 budget speech for Portage la Prairie was read at last night's City Council meeting.

It's a 55.8 million dollar document, between the general and utility funds.

Finance Committee Chair Councillor Brent Budz is very excited about what's in store for the city this year, noting it's growing.

"We've seen the assessment grow, as mentioned in my speech here tonight," he says. "But just in the massive amount of investment that's been in our community, so when that happens, the city has been able to respond with major investments for not only today, but for well into the future for residents of the city Portage la Prairie, so it's exciting."

The budget includes a large number of infrastructure projects. Budz says along with saving for the future, infrastructure's a priority, balanced between increases in taxes, and mill rate reductions.

"When you look at things like the Island Park causeway, and then you look at Saskatchewan Avenue West, that has been a project talked about by many councils," he says, "And so during our term, we want to make a significant investment in that project. Downtown Saskatchewan Avenue is another one we need to focus on. And a massive amount in our wastewater treatment plant, and our water treatment plant."

Budz talks about the mill rate reduction.

"If you have a home, approximate value of $250,000.00, and your assessment did not go up, you will see a small reduction in taxes," he says. "However, there are many properties within Portage where the assessment has grown, and that is a positive sign in any community, because people live in a city that is growing, and it is maturing. So that's a very, very good thing in any city, in any province, in Canada."

You can read the budget speech here.