It’s budget season in Pemberton.
At a committee of the whole (COW) meeting on March 4, Pemberton’s mayor and council heard from staff on the village’s budget, as well as a draft five-year financial plan that would see a sharp increase in tax revenue, which is set to climb from $3,833,810 in the 2025 budget to $5,844,202 in 2026—offset by a decrease in requisitions from other local governments.
“[The five-year financial plan] takes a long-term view of a significant capital plan and infrastructure planning into the future, and notably some major projects in the five-year horizon," Pemberton finance manager Thomas Sikora told the COW.
Per the Local Government Act, municipalities must have a financial plan adopted annually by March 31. That plan takes into account the current year, as well as the following four years. Pemberton’s plan, like other municipalities, addresses operating and capital budgets for the following five years, including changes in service and new infrastructure projects.
The five-year budget includes key upgrades to the village's infrastructure, namely a new fire hall and water treatment facility.
Sikora noted fire halls are “increasingly more expensive facilities,” but future upgrades to service might require the purchase of equipment that just wouldn’t fit into the current building. He also pointed to a plan addressing aging infrastructure associated with Pemberton Fire Rescue, some of which is approaching the 30-year mark of its life cycle.
"Certain specs of fire trucks, as an example, don't fit in our current hall," Sikora told the COW. "Sometimes it's more expensive to buy one that fits in shorter doors of the hall, and that's not necessarily a good long-term decision."
Another major capital expenditure, the water treatment facility, was spurred by a 2020 annual water system report that revealed elevated levels of manganese and iron in two crucial Pemberton wells. While those levels were within Health Canada's maximum acceptable concentration limits for drinking water, they exceeded aesthetic objectives that address taste, odour and colour. The report confirmed the elevated levels did not pose a health risk to residents.
After drilling two test wells in the Pemberton aquifer that showed insufficient yield and similarly poor water quality, the village opted to develop a new water treatment facility. The facility will be built with $8.1 million in federal, provincial and local funding, according to the Village. The facility will also "support future growth and increased water capacity" to meet a growing population.
A new municipal hall is on the docket too, with the VOP having outgrown its existing space. Pique previously reported that the municipality has made use of hotdesking and remote work for employees to address some of the challenges with space constraints. Sikora noted “it's trickier to find grants for a new municipal hall,” compared to those for the wastewater and fire hall.
“There's ways to be creative and look for other sources or partnerships or different avenues," he told the COW. "I don't think we've got the robust or concrete plan for that yet.”
A key expense driving the projected increase in tax revenue is the transfer of recreation service management and funding from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) to the Village of Pemberton (VOP). In 2021, the SLRD and VOP took first steps “for the Village to undertake the operation and management of the Pemberton and District Recreation Service.” Sikora noted the increase in taxation “is offset equally by collection for other governments,” referring to a decrease in funds collected to pay for the SLRD’s administration of recreation services in the Valley.
"[We’re] not proposing any material changes to service levels in that five year plan,” said Sikora.
Councillor Ted Craddock raised the possibility of reconsidering some of the expenditures in the budget in the years ahead, out of concern for getting the funding required for the new fire and municipal halls.
"Some items, depending on need determined from council today, can no longer be bumped," Mayor Mike Richman told the COW. "This is our way of identifying projects and being ready for them, planning for costs and also recognizing that we're going to have to go out and look for the funds."
The five-year plan can be viewed here.
Council is also preparing to finalize its budget for the year ahead. The draft budget for 2025 includes about $3.8 million in capital projects. That includes the water treatment facility, a universal water metering program, an engine 10 fire truck replacement, a signage update to reflect that the village is situated on the unceded territory of Lil'wat Nation, a new amenity building at Den Duyf Park and a raised crosswalk across Cottonwood Street.
Residents will also see a tax increase in 2025. While the final tax rate for the year is yet to be finalized, the VOP is aiming to generate $392,117 from tax revenue for the year.
Following a March 4 budget open house, council is preparing a final version of the 2025 budget and five-year financial plan for the end of March.
The tax implications of the 2025 budget by class of property can be viewed here.
