Dec. 3 and 4, 2025 - Special Council Meeting

Special Council Meeting – Draft 2026 Budget and 2026 to 2030 Financial Plan

Dates of meetings: Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

Date of issue: Friday, Dec. 5, 2025

Watch meetings live or via the webcast archive

Council meetings are livestreamed atwestkelownacity.ca/webcastsand archived within one business day. Please visitpub-westkelowna.escribemeetings.com to view the Dec. 3 agenda and webcast archive, and pub-westkelowna.escribemeetings.comto view the Dec. 4 agenda and webcast archive.

Council deliberates safety and service focused Draft 2026 Budget

The City of West Kelowna’s Draft 2026 Budget of $133 million supports our vibrant municipality placing a strong emphasis on public safety, building future reserves and providing needed capital projects to meet growth including new active transportation corridors, road rehabilitation, pedestrian infrastructure improvements, renewed parks and community amenities, essential fire equipment, and water and sewer infrastructure investments that help make West Kelowna a great place to live, work, and play. The draft budget also keeps pace with inflation, addresses growth and housing needs, provides quality service levels in support of customers’ requests for service and continues to fulfil Council’s Strategic Priorities for our community.

Throughout two days of budget deliberations, Council reduced the staff-proposed operational budget by $480,000 per year and further reduced capital spending by $2.9 million. This equates to a one per cent lower budget increase for municipal taxes than what was proposed and strengthens reserves for future Council’s success.

Council is keenly interested in the public’s opinion and welcomes input on the 2026 to 2030 financial plan.

Public input sought into Draft 2026 Budget

Council and staff give the annual budget process careful consideration and value community input as the City seeks to balance affordability with the cost of delivering essential services and capital improvements to meet the diverse needs and expectations of our community. Public engagement opportunities, which are open through Dec. 12, include:

• Online at OurWK.ca/2026budget:
  • Explore the display boards.
  • Review the draft five-year financial plan.
  • Fill out a questionnaire.
  • Ask questions.
• In person at our community open house:
  • Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10.
  • Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Location: City Hall Council Chambers at 3731 Old Okanagan Highway.

Council reduces net budget increase from 8.6 to 7.6 per cent

After careful and in-depth Council deliberations during the Dec. 3 and 4 Special Budget Meetings, Council cut $0.22 million from the supplemental increases and this, along with the increase in Fortis revenue of $260,000 for 2026, reduced the original net budget increase for municipal taxes from 8.6 to 7.6 per cent. The breakdown of the increase is:

• A 4.78 per cent base increase for labour costs, inflation and RCMP operations.
• The remaining increase of 2.82 per cent will transfer an additional $980,486 to fund annual capital and cover supplemental service requests. In 2026 this includes:
  • A commitment to fund 2.5 RCMP officers but not authorizing this hiring until negotiations with the provincial government on policing are concluded.
  • Topping up a part-time information services position to full-time for policing.
  • Adding one new full-time bylaw officer to increase service and aid our community support officers who respond to the unhoused.
  • Adding a seasonal operator to improve parks maintenance.
  • Providing for additional firefighter training support.
  • Enhancing emergency and Bear Smart planning.

The City of West Kelowna will also fund two, two-year positions – a planner and a planning manager – covered under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) grant, and not through taxation, to meet HAF requirements to provide more affordable housing options in the City.

On the utilities side, which does not come from taxes but rather utility fees, one new wastewater operator and an additional water treatment and supply operator-in-training were approved. Council also topped up a part-time position, bringing the total number of full-time watershed operators to two.

Council reduces capital budget by $2.9 million to strengthen reserves

The Draft 2026 Capital Budget will invest $16.8 million in new, replacement and upgraded infrastructure. With reductions in capital spending from a proposed $19.7 million, an additional $2.9 million will be retained in reserves to help meet future capital needs.

$8.6 million will be invested in active transportation corridors, roads and pedestrian infrastructure improvements including:

• Elliott Road Active Transportation Corridor – Smith Creek Rd to Reece Rd – $4.5 million.
• Road Rehabilitation Program – $2.5 million.
• Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvement Program – $1.5 million.

$459,330 will be invested to replace or purchase new equipment and vehicles.

$543,000 will be invested in Development Services planning and projects including:

• Development Cost Charge Bylaw Update – $150,000.
• Accessibility for a facilities audit and a Westbank Urban Centre Project – $102,500.
• Boucherie Centre Plan – $100,000.

$722,000 will be invested in parks and community amenities:

• Ranch Park ballfield improvements – $344,000.
• Smith Creek Park playground replacement – $170,000.
• Shannon Lake Tennis Courts resurfacing – $150,000.
• Permanent lighting installations at City Hall and holiday string lights – $40,000.

$375,000 will be invested in general capital projects including an Asset Management Plan.

$2.32 million will be invested in facility improvements including:

• Construct paved, lit and fenced City Hall and Memorial Park Parking Lot, expanding from 60 to 100 stalls – $1.7 million, with $150,000 from the Okanagan Regional Library equity partner and $860,000 from the B.C. Growing Communities Fund.
• Westbank Lions Community Centre roof replacement – $400,000.

• Install drop ceiling to dampen noise at City Hall reception – $50,000.

$630,000 will be invested in West Kelowna Fire Rescue including required new and replacement command trucks, personal protective gear for firefighters and rescue equipment

$423,300 will be invested in Information Services to replace or upgrade hardware and purchase other essential technology assets.

$2.7 million will be invested in Water and Sewer Utilities:

• Water meter replacements – $595,000.
• Additional Powers Creek Diversion Pond improvements – $400,000.
• Rose Valley Dam to Rosewood Drive Transmission Mains design – $250,000.
• Consolidated replacement of Harold Road and Bridlehill Booster Station design – $250,000.
• Water rate study – $90,000.

Grants in Aid for not-for-profit groups to be considered in the New Year

Council will deliberate Grant in Aid requests in January to determine how the City will support various eligible not-for-profit community groups in 2026.