The city's infrastructure deficit is not a product of bad decision-making but rather the result of not having the necessary information to identify the problem, said Coun. Dave Wilbur.
At Wednesday evening's committee of the whole meeting, the mayor and members of council approved a number of increases to user fees with the intent of generating more revenue to address the city's significant funding shortfalls. In his report to the group
Coun. Cameron Stolz, chair of the finance and audit committee, outlined an infrastructure funding gap of more than $75 million from the past seven years.
Wilbur praised the use of an asset management program known as RIVA
(Real-time Infrastructure Valuation Analysis) for unearthing the discrepancy.
Among the recommendations endorsed by committee of the whole include increases to multi-pack rates at Pine Valley Golf Course and the addition of a restricted nine-hole pass for seniors and youth; an increase to rental rates for civic park facilities, Masich Place Stadium (by 2.5 per cent) and the Civic Centre (eight per cent in 2013) to bring them up to the average of other communities or to keep them competitive; a three-year annual increase of 3.75 per cent for the rental of CN Centre and other community arenas; an increase to the building permit application fee by $25 to $100.
There are also plans to: eliminate the 10 per cent discount for early payment of utility fees and introduce a five per cent penalty for late payments; introduce a charge for final or special meter readings, emergency after-hours call outs; and charge an extra $10 for exchanging garbage containers.
The changes to utility fees are being made with a view to making the utilities sustainable and fully funded by user fees, explained manager of financial planning Kris Dalio.
But Stolz stressed that the range of user fee hikes were not meant to be overnight solutions to the financial issues.
"The important thing here today is that we're trying to address the gap on a year-to-year basis so we don't fall farther behind."
Coun. Brian Skakun - the only one who did not vote in favour of the fee increases outside of sewer, water and solid waste services - said the city was at a disadvantage for having to make up the funding deficit with limited resources from the federal government.
"But we have to invest, otherwise the future won't look so good," he said.
Waiting on the federal government would be like "running into a brick wall," agreed Coun. Murry Krause.
