UPDATED — July 15, 1:45 p.m.

A presentation to the city's policy committee by chief financial officer Lorella Hayes revealed the cost of maintaining and upgrading the city's roads, sewer pipes, bridges and 600 buildings is closer to $1 billion, rather than the $500 million estimated three years ago.

In her presentation on July 14, Hayes said the costs are increasing as the city complies with regulations and legislation from the provincial and federal governments as well as collective agreements with city employees.

Hayes said city staff is looking at ways to trim costs, and would bring a report back to council. But that wasn't enough for some city councillors.

“Lets see what options there are in cutting the budget by five per cent and 10 per cent,” Ron Dupuis, councillor for Ward 5,
said.

Other councillors agreed. Ward 1 coun. Joe Cimino said residents are facing higher taxes, and now higher water bills.

“Let's be proactive about this instead of waiting for the next council to do it," he said. “The feeling out there in the city is that taxpayers need a breather.”

Ward 2 Coun. Jacques Barbeau said there was waste because of a "silo way of thinking," where departments didn't work together.

“Before amalgamation, in the Town of Walden, every department worked together,” he said. “We need that again for the whole city.”

Councillors expressed concern that funding from higher levels of government may decrease in the next few years, or even dry up completely. A motion was drafted by the committee to start a tougher budgeting process for the 2012 budget, and focused on the infrastructure department for special cost-saving attention.

City managers were directed to bring a report on cost efficiencies across departments to council during the 2011 budget process.

The city budget should be run like a family budget, Evelyn Dutrisac, Ward 4 councillor, said.

“In tough times, a family looks at all their expenses.”