Council adopts new budget with 6.8% tax hike

Apr 10, 2024 | 12:15 PM Pete McIntyre

West Kelowna property owners will see their municipal taxes rise 6.85 per cent this year after city council adopted its 2024 budget.

The financial plan contains a core tax increase of 5.24 per cent to maintain existing services.

“The total increase of 6.85 per cent also covers inflationary costs, including software licensing, and addresses fair, negotiated wages for firefighters, police officers and general staff who provide core services and deliver daily needs to our community,” a city news release said.

The budget also accounts for additional resources to address housing needs and changes to provincial legislation, with funding to come from reserves for 2024.

The total 2024 Capital Budget is $32.2 million with $22.7 million funded from reserves, $6.1 million from development cost charges and $3.4 million from debt and grants.

Projects include:

Shannon Lake Road Multi-use Pathway from Swite to Westbank First Nation.
A roundabout at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads.
The Road Rehabilitation Program, which will increase from to $2.1 million up from $1.2 million in 2023, funded from grants and capital reserves.
Other projects funded by grants and infrastructure reserves, including the yearly Pedestrian Infrastructure Improvement Program, multi-use pathway connections, and Mount Boucherie Community Centre restoration and renovation to add daycare facilities and return space to community uses.
Purchase of a combined ladder and pump fire truck, called a quint.
Funding the remaining $6.3 million required towards the Fire Hall #32 Replacement Project.

The borrowing of up to $8 million for the Fire Hall #32 Replacement Project, which results in no new tax increases to the West Kelowna community, was approved by council in the 2023 budget, subject to the Alternative Approval Process receiving elector assent, which was confirmed in March 2024.

The city’s assessment growth of 1.5 per cent last year resulted in additional revenue of $623,455, which was used to reduce the tax burden and help with increased transfers to reserves.