Letter to property owners - Info on planned Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant Parcel Tax

Date of Issue: Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025

The City of West Kelowna has mailed a letter to property owners in the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant Local Area Service to provide information about the next steps for the transfer of their share of the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant and Connecting Transmission Mains Project from their quarterly utility bill to an annual parcel tax in 2026.

Providing notice of parcel taxes is a statutory requirement of the Government of B.C. The letter also provides information on the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant (RVWTP) Parcel Tax Roll and the required Parcel Tax Review Panel. Please note, the letter is not a bill.

In keeping with commitments, the City of West Kelowna is providing property owners in the local area service with two options to cover their parcel’s share of the on-budget $75-million project.

Those receiving the August 2025 letter have chosen Option 1, which is to have the City of West Kelowna transfer their parcel’s share from quarterly utility bills, starting in April 2026, to an annual parcel tax, to appear on property tax notices starting in May 2026. Under Option 1, the City will remove $37.50 from quarterly utility bills and combine the amounts as one annual parcel tax of $150, plus an additional estimated annual interest amount of $31, for a total of $181.

Property owners who have already chosen Option 2 to prepay their parcel’s share in a one-time lump sum of $2,750, will not receive the letter. For those who prepaid, the City will remove $37.50 from quarterly utility bills in April 2026, but no transfer to annual property taxes will occur in May 2026. Those who are still considering the prepay option, will have a second opportunity to prepay from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1, 2025. The letter provides more information about the prepayment option.

Parcel Tax Review Panel and process

The City of West Kelowna has prepared a roll of all properties that are subject to the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant Parcel Tax in 2026. As part of the parcel tax process, the roll is available for public inspection before it is presented to Council for consideration of adoption. The roll can be inspected at City Hall, 3731 Old Okanagan Hwy, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (except statutory holidays).

An owner of property included on the Parcel Tax Roll, may request a qualifying amendment to the roll by applying in writing to the City before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. A request for an amendment may only be on one or more of the following grounds:

(a) There is an error or omission respecting a name or address on the parcel tax roll;

(b) There is an error or omission respecting the inclusion of a parcel;

(c) There is an error or omission respecting the charge levied;

(d) An exemption has been improperly allowed or disallowed.

The Parcel Tax Review panel, consisting of three members of Council, will convene at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, at City Hall, 3731 Old Okanagan Hwy to hear any complaints, make qualifying corrections and authenticate the roll. All property owners who file a written complaint to the panel will be notified in writing of the panel’s decision. If you have questions regarding the Parcel Tax Roll or the review panel process, please contact us at taxes@westkelownacity.ca or phone 778-797-8860.

Background and additional information

For additional background information on Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant and Connecting Transmissions Mains Project and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit:

• www.westkelownacity.ca/rvwtp