TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER 2025-2026 BUDGET
Bridgewater Town Council and staff are working on preparing the 2025-2026 budget document. As a resident or business owner in Bridgewater, or even if you live in another area but work or play in Bridgewater, your input in developing next year's budget is important.

HOW DOES THE BUDGET WORK?
The Town's budget is divided into two sections: the Operating Budget and the Capital Budget.

The Operating Budget is the normal day-to-day budget that provides services to the town's residents and businesses.

The Capital Budget is the part of the budget that focuses on long-term investments and includes things like roads, sewers, and water infrastructure improvements as well as improvements to facilities.

THE BUDGET PROCESS AND TIMELINE
During January and February, the budget begins to come into focus. If you have important feedback or suggestions, now is the time to have your voice heard.

As we prepare to enter Spring 2025, Council will consider the proposed budget document in detail and at multiple public meetings. It is anticipated that the draft 2025-2026 Proposed Budget document will be publicly available through the Town of Bridgewater's website and at Town Hall for the public to review in late March.

Council's public budget meetings are currently tentatively scheduled for:

>>> Monday, March 17 -- 6 p.m. (Discussion Session Meeting for Budget review)
>>> Monday, March 31 -- 6 p.m. (Extra Council Meeting for Budget review)
>>> Tuesday, April 7 -- 6 p.m. (Discussion Session Meeting for Budget review - *if required)
>>> Monday, April 14  -- 6 p.m. (Final Capital and Operating Budget review; tentative date for approval)

If additional meetings are required, they will be advertised accordingly on social media and here on the Town's website. Times and dates are subject to change.

TALK BRIDGEWATER
In-person Talk Bridgewater sessions are your chance to connect with Council directly to provide your input to Town Council or to ask questions about both the Budget and the Town's newly approved Strategic Priorities priorities for this Council term. Those sessions will be held as follows:

>>> Wednesday, March 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in the Galleria
>>> Thursday, March 20, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at South Shore Centre (Bridgewater Mall) near Tim Hortons

Just as we do with regular meetings of Council, each of these budget meetings will be livestreamed via the Town's Facebook page (@BridgewaterNS) and made available as an archived recording following the meeting through the Facebook page and the Town's YouTube channel.

The online Budget Input Survey will remain open until March 25, 2025. If you can't make an in-person session, you can always submit your input online!

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE FEEDBACK
One of the effective ways to provide budget input is by directly contacting the Mayor and members of Town Council. You can find their contact information by clicking here. You can also directly contact the Town's Director of Finance at 902-541-4362 or by email at Kim.Hopkins@bridgewater.ca.