Spending jumps at Capital Regional District, driven by sewage-treatment mega-project
Capital Regional District operational spending will rise almost nine per cent this year after directors gave their approval Wednesday to a $238.2-million budget, up from $218.7 million last year.
The capital budget will increase by 50 per cent to $157.2 million — primarily driven by major capital projects, including the $765-million regional sewage treatment mega-project.
“Most of what is driving things this year is, of course, the core area [sewage] project moving forward,” said CRD chair Barb Desjardins.
“So when you look at the [tax] requisitions for communities, you’ll see that the higher requisitions are for core communities than for other outlying communities.”
The Capital Regional Hospital District board also approved its 2017 budget. The CRD, hospital board and Capital Region Housing Corporation budgets combine to form an operating budget of $284.2 million, with $192.8 million in capital projects.
The Core Area Liquid Waste Management project accounts for $65.5 million of the $157.2 million in capital spending this year. Other major projects include $16 million for a 911 unified answer centre, $28.3 million for drinking water projects, and about $3 million for the E&N Rail Trail.
CRD costs vary from municipality to municipality and electoral area districts, based on factors such as assessments and which CRD services they participate in.
Some residents will experience double-digit tax increases because their municipality bills sewage treatment costs through property taxes. For example, for Langford residents the CRD tax bill will increase 14.67 per cent. Colwood residents will pay 13.73 per cent more and View Royal residents see a 17.95 per cent increase.
Others, which fund their sewage-treatment costs through utility bills, face more modest percentage hikes for property taxes. Victoria residents will see a 3.36 per cent increase, Oak Bay 6.66 per cent and Saanich 5.38 per cent.
“I always hate a tax increase,” said Langford Mayor Stew Young.
Given the cost of the sewage project, the CRD should be looking at cutting back other services, he said. “We really should not do any more CRD services for a while until we absorb this over the next three or four years.”
Stan Bartlett, chair of the local government watchdog group Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria, agreed that there should be cutbacks given the magnitude of the sewage spending.
“Taxpayers can’t help but wonder if some of the other capital projects could have been delayed, eliminated or scaled back this year in light of mounting sewer treatment bills,” Bartlett said in a statement.
Bartlett tagged the $1.8 million spent on the Regional Growth Strategy update over recent years as “egregious.”
But Desjardins noted the board has been incrementally raising the tax levy specifically for sewage to reduce overall costs and provide sufficient funding for capital and operational spending.
Capital Regional District costs are different for each municipality and electoral area district, based on factors such as assessments and which CRD services they participate in.
The summaries below give the overall percentage increase in CRD taxes within each jurisdiction, plus a snapshot of what that will mean for an average home. Central Saanich: Up 2.00 per cent
The average Central Saanich home assessed at $625,951 will see a tax increase of $23.03 for a tax bill of $542.52 for Capital Regional District services. When debt servicing costs and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $812.54, up from $781.95 in 2016. Colwood: Up 13.73 per cent
The average Colwood home assessed at $517,744 will see a tax increase of $28.27 for a tax bill of $279.07 for CRD services. When debt servicing costs and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $602.91, up from $562.14 in 2016. Esquimalt: Up 3.52 per cent
The average Esquimalt home assessed at $561,722 will see a tax increase of $18.79 for a tax bill of $357.39 for CRD services. When debt servicing costs and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $654.35, up from $633.50 in 2016. (Esquimalt’s tax lift is smaller than what would be expected as it pays for sewage treatment through property taxes, offset by a larger-than-anticipated payment in lieu of taxes from the federal government.) Highlands: Up 3.81 per cent
The average Highlands home assessed at $644,892 will see a twocent tax decrease for a tax bill of $202.54 for CRD services — even though the CRD tax requisition has gone up 3.81 per cent. The minimal change is due to a combination of increased population and changes in assessments. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $457.45, up from $408.26 in 2016. Langford: Up 14.67 per cent
The average Langford home assessed at $465,801 will see a tax increase of $35.92 for a tax bill of $293.57 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $413.59, up from $380.25 in 2016. Metchosin: Down 1.26 per cent
The average Metchosin home assessed at $601,025 will see a decrease of $1.95 to $190.03 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District costs are added in, the average total bill is $344.89, down from $351.70 in 2016. North Saanich: Up 3.8 per cent
The average North Saanich home assessed at $894,493 will see a tax increase of $27.15 for a tax bill of $469.21 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $889.45, up from $843.38 in 2016. Oak Bay: Up 6.66 per cent
The average Oak Bay home assessed at $1,188,571 will see a tax increase of $31.98 to $449.67 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $793.48, up from $721.60 in 2016. Saanich: Up 5.38 per cent
The average Saanich home assessed at $697,424 will see a tax increase of $12.38 for a tax bill of $197.79 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $451.77, up from $416.59 in 2016. Sidney: Up 1.72 per cent
The average Sidney home assessed at $515,488 will see a tax increase of $12.15 to $298.21 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $462.80, up from $448.34 in 2016. Sooke: Up 1.72 per cent
The average Sooke home assessed at $384,271 will see an increase of $6.75 for a tax bill of $448.57 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are factored in, the average total bill is $623.85, down from $656.27. Victoria: Up 3.36 per cent
The average Victoria home assessed at $657,708 will see an increase of $12.89 for a tax bill of $193.77 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $480.51, up from $445.58 in 2016. View Royal: Up 17.95 per cent
The average View Royal home assessed at $581,844 will see a tax increase of $30.14 for a tax bill of $359.54 for CRD services. When debt servicing and Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $627.63, up from $604.33 in 2016. Juan de Fuca Electoral Area: Down 3.62 per cent
The average Juan de Fuca home assessed at $440,804 will see a tax decrease of $12.19 for a tax bill of $404.15. When Capital Regional Hospital District costs are factored in, the average total bill is $517.73, down from $530.80 in 2016. Salt Spring Island Electoral Area: Up 1.29 per cent
The average Salt Spring Island home assessed at $528,638 will see a tax increase of $13.69 for a tax bill of $793.12 for CRD services. When Capital Regional Hospital District costs are added in, the average total bill is $939.39, up from $928.78 in 2016. Southern Gulf Islands Electoral Area: Up 1.73 per cent
The average Southern Gulf Islands home assessed at $387,505 will see a tax increase of $5.35 for a tax bill of $302.93 for CRD services. When Capital Regional Hospital District charges are added in, the average total bill is $402.77, up slightly from $402.71 in 2016.