Pitt Meadows residents will have a big tax increase in their stockings this Christmas as city council recently approved a 2024 budget with a 7.79 per cent tax increase.
At the Dec. 11 council meeting, City of Pitt Meadows director of finance Laura Barroettavena presented a series of decision packages, which resulted in the proposed budget ballooning up even further, taking the tax increase from 6.9 per cent to 7.79 per cent.
Many of the proposed projects didn’t carry tax implications as they are being paid for with provincial grants and various reserves.
However, the implementation of the initiatives set out in the city’s Economic Development Strategy resulted in a $20,000 burden on the taxpayers after it was unanimously approved by council.
The other package that impacted the 2024 taxes was the need to hire four flex firefighters in the new year and switch over the part-time firehall clerk position to a full-time role, which led to a 0.69 per cent and 0.13 per cent increase respectively.
Fire Chief Stephane Drolet said this change comes as new firefighter training standards passed down from the Office of the Fire Commissioner are expected to come into effect next March.
“This will ensure the department meets WorkSafe BC regulations during initial operations at fire and complex incidents,” said Chief Drolet.
Mayor Nicole MacDonald also acknowledged that this was a necessary step for the city and would further its already substantial progress in improving community safety.
“I’m really proud of where our Pitt Meadows Fire and Rescue Service is and where it has come from,” said Mayor MacDonald. “The commitment from our firefighters, our management, our city, and our council, have got us into a significantly better and safer place for the community and our fire team as well.”
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Among the approved packages that didn’t impact taxes was the motion to conduct a $300,000 multi-year irrigation study, which was being paid for through a combination of the drainage reserve and a provincial grant.
“The city recently updated the Agricultural Plan, and one of the main concerns from the farming community was a reliable water source for irrigation purposes,” explained Barroettavena.
Councillor Mike Manion voiced his approval for this study, calling it vital for the future success of agriculture in Pitt Meadows.
“On Aug. 15 of this past year, anyone who was irrigating farm crops was asked to cease and desist,” explained Manion. “As climate change continues to impact the weather patterns, we have to do everything we can to ensure an adequate supply of water is available to farmers on a year-round basis.”
Coming in at half that cost was the development of a Climate Action Plan, which will be paid for through a $150,000 provincial grant fund, and is something that Coun. Bob Meachen called a vital program for the community.
“It’s a small amount of money for a very important topic,” said Meachen. “I’m happy to support this, and climate action should be high up on our agenda as we move forward.”
Council also doubled down on the city’s economic development by approving a $130,000 expenditure from the general operating reserve in order to hire a consultant to develop a master plan for the future redevelopment of the civic centre area.
“This is a really critical area for the future of our community,” said Mayor MacDonald. “The purpose of that reserve is to fund such projects.”
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The city’s recreational services will also be receiving a big boost in the next couple of years thanks to city council unanimously approving the design and construction of a double artificial turf field, lighting, grandstands, landscaping, and additional parking at Pitt Meadows Athletic Park. This package will use $5,230,000 in funding from the community amenity reserve and $5,370,000 in funding from the “Growing Communities Fund” provincial grant.
Pitt Meadows Athletic Park will also get a new covered multi-sport box with a field house and additional parking in the north lot, which will be funded with $8,100,000 from the community amenity reserve and $3,400,000 borrowed from the sewer reserve.
While no tax implications will be felt for these projects as of yet, Barroettavena did explain that upon completion of the Pitt Meadows Athletic Park projects in 2026, the annual operating budget would lead to an estimated combined tax increase of $9.40 for the average single-family home.
“I think this is a really exciting potential addition to the community,” said Mayor MacDonald. “We are hearing a ton from seniors groups, pickleball groups, and our youth association, that they need more indoor space.”
Other approved projects in the 2024 budget include:
• Development of an Invasive Species Management Plan ($21,500 in funding from the Local Government Climate Action Program Provincial Grant Fund)
• Development of an Accessibility Plan ($30,000 in funding from the general operating reserve)
• Conduct a community risk assessment ($30,000 in funding from the general operating reserve)
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When all was said and done, city council was looking at a $53.9 million budget for next year, with a 7.79 per cent tax increase, which when combined with the $263.50 increase in utility fees, will result in a $469.04 annual increase for the average single-family home.
After a round of comments from nearly every councillor, the budget was approved, with only Couns. Mike Hayes and Mike Manion voting it down.
Mayor MacDonald justified the sharp increase by explaining that much of the increase was due to uncontrollable factors such as the more than $250 in utility fees passed on by Metro Vancouver.
“This is actually an incredibly prudent and responsible budget that focuses on safety, asset management replacement, and a little bit of recreation,” said Mayor MacDonald.
“Even in the taxation portion, there are a number of uncontrollable costs that aren’t within the council’s decision-making. You have salaries and benefits, so really the amount that council decides upon is quite minute.”
Pitt Meadows city council is now off for the remainder of the year and will not meet again until Jan. 9.
