Council Highlights - Dec. 7 & 8, 2021
2022 Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan
Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Draft 2022 to 2026 Financial Plan presented to Council
Council gave first reading to the 2022 to 2026 Financial Plan on Wednesday, Dec. 8. The draft budget presented on Dec. 7 and 8, is guided by Council’s 2022 Strategic Priorities and will bolster public safety and infrastructure investments, while maintaining efficient operations. View Council’s Strategic Priorities at westkelownacity.ca/strategicpriorities.
Budget at-a-glance
For 2022, the draft Five-Year Financial Plan proposes a municipal tax increase of 4.0 per cent, which includes a 2.4 per cent increase for police services costs, and a one per cent Infrastructure Levy applicable in each of the five years of the Financial Plan. If approved, the municipal tax increase would result in, on average, an additional $82 per home, or about $6.80 per month. The budget consists of:
- An annual capital program totaling $25.5 million, plus an addition of an Infrastructure Levy resulting in more than $360,000 to support pedestrian improvements
- Total revenue of just over $63.7 million expected in the General Fund with taxation at approximately 62 per cent of revenue
- Total $18.9 million in water and sewer revenue
- Operating expenses for all programs and services for 2022 are $82.7 million with the largest portions for protective services, including policing, and fire rescue, at $18.5 million, and water, sewer, solid waste and recycling at $16.6 million
Supplemental operational requests summarized
Supplemental operating and staffing requests total $835,000 including three additional RCMP officers and support staff for police services, a fire training officer and seasonal park operator, and five staff for the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant.
2022 capital projects at-a-glance
Infrastructure upgrades for roads, sidewalks, parks, utilities, drainage, and facilities are proposed for neighbourhoods across the city.
Highlights of the draft Capital Plan totals $25.5 million:
- Public Works Yard design and construction - $5 million
- Pedestrian Infrastructure Program funded in part by the Federal Gas Tax Fund and capital reserves (including Bartley Road, Old Okanagan Highway and within Westbank Town Centre) - $1.6 million
- Road Rehabilitation Program - $1.2 million
- Shannon Lake to Asquith transportation improvements - $250,000 in 2022, and $2.2 million in 2023
- Drainage projects for Lakeview Road, Green Bay, Upper/Lower McDougall Creek Restoration Project - $850,000
- LED Streetlight Replacement - $300,000 (per year over the next five years)
- Parks projects comprising of playground replacement, irrigation upgrade, community gardens and dog park relocation, totaling just over $1 million for all parks and community amenities
- Highlights include:
- Marjorie Pritchard Park enhancements - $250,000
- Beechnut Park upgrades to the parking lot, accessible ramp for lake access, non-motorized boat launch and picnic tables - $185,000
- Astoria Park and Vineyard View Drive Park upgrades - $125,000
- Fire training centre - $350,000
- Fire Hall No. 30 building renovations - $100,000
Major projects for utilities and reserves
- Transmission mains to tie into Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant - $8.5 million
- Design upgrades for Powers Creek Water Treatment Plant - $130,000
- Replacement of the Stevens Road Lift Station - $1.2 million
Other supplemental and capital requests
- A total of $981,500 for new and replacement equipment requests that support infrastructure repairs, parks maintenance and water treatment at Rose Valley Reservoir
- A request of $130,000 to integrate plans and strategies with the Official Community Plan update, which include a housing strategy, planning for the revitalization of Westbank Centre, in addition to a parking strategy
- Conversion of Mt. Boucherie Community Centre concept plan at $80,000, and replacement of equipment and vehicles for the West Kelowna Fire Rescue at $640,000
- The total transfer to reserves projected in the General Fund budget is $9.4 million
First round of public input open
Feedback is open on the Draft 2022 Budget with first round of comments to be received by Wednesday, Jan. 19. Results will be shared with Council at the Jan. 25, 2022 regular Council meeting.
Save the date! The last round of public input for the Five-Year Financial Plan and Council’s 2022 Strategic Priorities is scheduled to begin the week of Jan. 31, 2022. Public input will support Council’s decision-making that balances taxation and demand for service prior to second reading of the 2022 – 2026 Financial Plan Bylaw expected in the spring.
Grant-in-aid requests
A summary of the organizations applying through the Grant-in-Aid program, will be brought forward for Council’s consideration on Jan. 11, 2022.
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