The District of Squamish wants your feedback on its 2025 - 2029 Five-Year Financial Plan.
Throughout this month, council is looking at the budget details and soliciting input from residents. The starting point: its “improved online tool—Budget book,” according to a press release.
In it, residents will find a projected tax increase to 9.6%, or $250 per average residential property, in 2025—and a projected average increase of 10.5% from 2025 to 2029.
That’s due to “a number of challenges that add pressures to the Financial Plan throughout the coming five-year period,” the release says. Things like rising RCMP costs, increased fire services costs, and provincial housing mandates.
“Squamish is also seeing the impact from debt-servicing costs for new essential service facilities, ongoing attention to infrastructure upgrades and a long-term capital program, as well as the cost of setting aside adequate reserves for future replacement assets,” the release said. “This proactive and prudent approach to building reserves will support future councils to ensure they are not saddled with end-of-life infrastructure without the means to replace them.”
The draft budget is available at squamish.openbook.questica.com.
To find information, ask a question and see a list of in-person events to offer feedback, you can visit letstalksquamish.ca/budget2025.
There’s also a Mayor’s Drop-in on Wednesday, Oct. 16 from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. in council chambers and a public information night slated for Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Brennan Park Recreation Centre.
“Squamish is a desirable, fast-growing community with diverse needs, and we are working to balance the challenges and opportunities that come along with that,” said District of Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford, in the release.
“We are all impacted by the Financial Plan every day, and this process invites community members to let us know if our financial planning aligns with your values and priorities. We urge everyone to get involved, learn about the budget and help shape the future of our community.”
