Councillors this week approved an across-the- board user fee increase on all city services that equates to about the rate of inflation. The two to 2.5 per cent hikes mean increases of anywhere from a couple of dollars to $20 to $30, depending upon the cost of the service.

For instance, the marriage licence fee will increase by 6.6 per cent or from $122 to $130, while the death registration fee will balloon by 22.5 per cent from $28.57 to $35. The larger fee increases were required to make the costs comparable to other municipalities, say staff.

Politicians also agreed to raise the user ice rates beyond the two per cent hike by eight per cent and 16 per cent. For instance, the prime time non-subsidized rate will rise from $220.20 this season to $238.40 for the 2010-11 season, and the prime time subsidized rate will jump from $110.10 to $119.20.

“This will get us closer to having a 50 per cent subsidy by 2012,” said Diane LaPointe- Kay, the city’s recreation director. “The other fees are keeping with the two per cent increase. The 8.3 per cent increase is based on the ice allocation.”

Meanwhile, the Mohawk 4-Pad subsidized and non-subsidized ice rates will increase by 16.8 per cent. The summer ice rentals for non-subsidized and subsidized ice rates will not increase next season. Also foregoing an increase will be museum entrance fees.

Anna Bradford, director of culture and recreation, said raising the fees could result in a loss of customers and diminished revenues.

“We have seen if we increase fees, we lose our audience,” she said. “Even increasing (the fees) by the inflation rate pushes us to the tipping point (of lost customers).”

The fee increases are part of council’s 2010 budget approvals to get the city to its two per cent average tax increase goal and compensate for an unexpected budget deficit. Currently the projected average tax increase is about six per cent. Politicians need to slice nearly $14 million to meet its two per cent target. Councillors will also consider raising the water and sewer rates on Dec. 4 by about eight per cent.