RCMP costs and firefighter staffing are some of the top expenses this year’s 8.25 per cent property tax increase addresses. Photo: Mike Crane
December 20, 2024: Whistler, BC – Council approved an 8.25 per cent tax increase for next year by supporting the 2025 Budget Guidelines on Tuesday evening, enabling municipal staff to develop the Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw.
RMOW staff originally proposed a 9.1 per cent increase at the Tuesday, Dec. 3 Regular Council meeting, but the figure was reduced to 8.1 per cent by Council, who want to account for tighter economic times for taxpayers.
Additionally, Mayor Jack Crompton asked to explore alternative transportation solutions, such as a valley bottom pedestrian gondola, and extra funding to support the existing Pemberton commuter service; the additional expenses added $75,000 to the proposed budget to land the final increase at 8.25 per cent.
Three core investments make up 50 per cent of the tax increase:
- supporting the year round, day-time staffing announced for Spring Creek Fire Hall in 2024;
- maintaining the transit service expansion temporarily funded by the Province of BC’s COVID-Safe Restart Grant;
- and establishing the funding base to pay for Whistler’s RCMP detachment in 2027.
* When Whistler surpasses the 15,000-person population point in the 2026 federal census, Whistler transitions to a higher payment tier on its federal cost-sharing agreement for the municipal RCMP.
“These core investments in policing, fire and transit are real costs — they are our costs. This budget does not propose shiny new buildings or to create new staff roles,” says Crompton. “We should pay our bills and not kick this down the road. I don’t think that’s fair for future community members and Councils.”
The final adjustments were made by Council through reduced contributions to General Capital Reserves. This means $513,000 less will be saved to support future infrastructure maintenance.
For 2025, the operational budget to run the day-to-day business of the municipality is $110 million and the budget for project work is $38.6 million. These amounts include $11.8 million in provincial Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funds and Municipal and Regional District programs (MRDT) this year, provincial funds stemming from tourism to be spent supporting tourism.
Tuesday’s meeting also set utility parcel tax rates and user fees for the following year. For 2025, charges for sewer will increase by eight per cent, solid waste will increase by five per cent and water will increase by four per cent.
Every year, the budget is shaped by municipal plans and policies, including the Official Community Plan (OCP), the Big Moves Climate Strategy and the RMOW Strategic Plan, in addition to community input received from the community priorities budget survey and Community Life Survey.
