Prince George city council will be reviewing increases to the fees and charges for 2024 to 2027 at Monday's meeting.
Fees and charges are proposed for four years at a time to coincide with the length of a council term.
However, reports can be brought back to council to reevaluate fees and charges as required.
Some of the proposed fees and charges council will be discussing on Aug. 28 are listed below:
Cemetery
A three per cent increase each year for the next four years is required to achieve the full recovery of costs associated with this service.
Main cost drivers include the cost of staffing and equipment as well as materials for internment. Memorial Park’s fees remain competitive with other municipal cemeteries that provide multiple interment options and deliver similar services as the city.
Solid Waste
A six per cent increase per year for the next four years is needed to meet the operational, capital and asset renewal expenses of the utility. The 2024 annual increases for a small, medium and large garbage cans would equal $10, $13 and $15, respectively.
Highways
A five per year rate increase over the next four years is recommended to help alleviate inflationary impacts specifically related to the installation or extension of access culverts, concrete curb and gutter and sidewalks.
Sewer
A six per cent increase per year for flat rates (seven per cent for metered rates as it must match the metered increase for water) for the next four years is needed to meet the operational, capital and asset renewal expenses of the utility. The 2024 increase for a single family dwelling flat rate is $36.
Storm sewer
A five per cent year rate increase over the next four years is recommended to help alleviate inflationary impacts that include material cost increases and labour costs.
Water Regulation Rates
A seven per cent increase per year for flat and metered rates for the next four years is needed to meet the operational, capital and asset renewal expenses of the utility. The 2024 increase for a single family dwelling flat rate is $36.
CN Centre and Arenas
A three per cent increase per year over the next four years are proposed to recover costs through rental fees at a consistent and predictable rate that arena users have been annually anticipating. The average rate of increase for comparable municipalities was also three per cent.
Prince George Conference and Civic Centre
A three per cent increase per year over the next four years is proposed to continue to position the facility competitively within the local, regional, provincial, and national markets.
The main cost drivers are increasing security needs and costs, labour, cleaning supplies and maintenance costs. The average rate of increase for comparable municipalities was also three per cent.
Aquatics
Over the past eight years, aquatics rates were increased to be more in line with nine comparison communities throughout B.C., as Prince George rates were generally among the lowest.
In 2023, local rates are generally among the highest in relation to those communities (Kelowna, Kamloops, Coquitlam, Victoria, Nanaimo, Saanich, Vancouver, Langley, Delta). Administration says a proposed two per cent increase over the next four years is appropriate to keep in line with other communities, remain affordable for residents, and assist in offsetting ongoing rising operational costs.
Parking
The user fees (monthly stall rentals) increases are proposed at three per cent per year for four years. It is also proposed that daily rates increase from $6/day to $7/day in 2024; and then from $7/day to $8/day along with hourly rates increasing from $1/hr to $1.50/hr in 2026.
Lastly, there is a proposal to start charging $20/yr for a Residential Parking Permit (formally free of charge) and a reduction in the George Street Parkade rates to align the cost with other parkades and encourage more stall rentals at that location.
The full report detailing all of the proposed changed to fees and charges is available online.
