The District of Sechelt (DOS) has approved its 2025 to 2029 financial plan, which includes a tax increase of 8.62 per cent.
As part of the plan, the 2025 budget was also approved at a regular meeting of DOS council, May 14, which includes a general taxation increase of 5.62 per cent for operations and three per cent for capital expenses, for a total of 8.62 per cent.
The Community Charter requires that council approve a five-year financial plan each year prior to the adoption of the annual property tax bylaw, with the purpose to provide a budgetary framework for the district to better manage its resources, revenues and expenditures.
The consolidated five-year financial plan combines the operating and capital budgets for the general operating fund and sewer operating fund for those years, while 41 per cent of the district’s total operating revenues are obtained through property value taxation.
Revenues
The five-year plan predicts revenue from taxation and other levies will rise each year from now until 2029, from $15,634,584 in 2025 to $16,836,005, $18,216,955, $19,520,610 and $20,762,122, respectively.
Meanwhile revenue from licences, permits and fees will increase from $1,697,036 for 2025 to $1,867,006, $1,950,676, $1,990,183 and $1,910,084 now through 2029.
Together, revenue sources for DOS for 2025 include, taxation and other levies, $15,634,584 (41%), grants and donations, $1,388,490 (3.5%), fees, rates and sale of services, $3,756,936 (10%), interest and penalties, $936,923 (2.5%), development cost charges, $777,414 (2%), capital grants and contributions, $10,582,248 (28%), sewer fees and charges, $3,549,173 (9%), sewer parcel taxes, $965,000 (2.5%), proceeds from borrowing, $537,211 (1.5%), for a total of $38,127,979.
Over the next five years, revenues for DOS are expected to be $38,011,768 for 2025, $28,910,192 for 2026, $30,001,020 for 2027, $32,176,445 for 2028 and $33,852,936 for 2029.
That fluctuation is due in part to the capital grants and contributions expected between now and then, including $10,582,248 for 2025, zero for 2026, $150,000 for 2027, $700,000 for 2028 and $420,000 for 2029.
The district applied for and was awarded a number of capital grants for 2023, 2024 and 2025 for several projects, some of which were not completed by the end of 2024, so were carried over. The grant revenue of $10,582,248 is included in this 2025 financial plan to pay for general fund capital projects.
Expenses
Between 2025 and 2029, general government expenses are expected to fluctuate between $5,122,274 to $4,862,875, $5,146,032, $5,397,148, and $5,523,291.
Spending on facilities looks to be going down over the next five years, with $1,262,324 dedicated for 2025 and $1,089,511, $1,120,918, $ 1,133,336 and $1,116,002 to be spent respectively.
Spending on solid waste and sewer operations is also expected to increase over the next five years, while engineering and operations costs will decrease from $3,753,641 in 2025 to $3,268,214 in 2026, $3,365,298 in 2027, $3,526,602 in 2028 and $3,597,134 in 2029.
Total expenditures for 2025 through 2029 are estimated at $25,517,122, $23,862,640, $24,539,559, $25,348,003 and $25,827,038.
Taxation
In total, taxation and other levies rose in 2025 to $15,634,584. That’s $1,336,525 over the 2024 amount. Sale of goods and services increased to $2,059,000, a hike of $94,730 from 2024.
An annual incremental increase in property taxes of three per cent gets transferred to the General Fund Capital Reserve, to assist in funding replacement and renewal of infrastructure assets. Included in the first year of the 2025-2029 Financial Plan is a contribution to the reserve of $2,490,043, and future contributions will increase by three per cent each year.
For more information, check out the 158-page report on the five-year, consolidated financial plan at sechelt.ca.
