By splitting up the animal control and pound services contract, Timmins will save $83,685 over three years.
At Tuesday's Timmins council meeting, two separate, three-year contracts for two different providers were awarded.
PADS-K9 Protection and Detection Services will take care of the animal control services for the city from 2021-23. The cost of the contract in the first year is $81,432, with it increasing to $83,653 by the third year.
The Timmins and District Humane Society will continue to provide pound services. The cost for that is $81,945 in year one, going up to $86,945 in the third year.
Previously, the pound and animal control services were included in one contract with the humane society.
With the current animal control bylaw expiring Dec. 31, earlier this year clerk Steph Palmateer talked to council about separating the contracts.
“Understanding the fiscal restraints on our operating budget due to COVID it just seemed there was an opportunity to look at trying to change the way we provide a service, which could result in savings. And I’m happy to say that by putting the tender out in the format we did, it did result in an annual savings,” Palmateer told council this week.
In 2020, the cost for the pound and animal services contract was $195,000, according to the report.
With the new separated contracts, the overall 2021 cost is $163,377. That's a savings of $31,623.
In the second year, the total cost will be $167,098, creating a savings of $27,901. The third-year cost is $170,838, which is a $24,161 savings.
