Metro Vancouver needs to find a way to slow down its projected big cost increases which are impacting the utility bills of homeowners.
That’s the warning from Mayor George Harvie last week during a council discussion on the utility rate and a letter from a resident asking that this year’s increase be reduced.
Harvie said the real concern is with Metro Vancouver, which must take another look at its “horrendous increases” in the next few years.
In an earlier open letter to residents, Harvie noted despite Delta’s efforts to control the rise in utility rates, the majority of the costs, and 80 per cent of this year’s increase, is due to higher regional costs for the provision of sewage treatment and drinking water.
The increase is primarily due to debt servicing costs related to large capital programs.
The capital investments being undertaken by Metro include projects like the Seymour-Capilano filtration project and the expansion of the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, Harvie explained, adding the region’s utility rates are anticipated to continue increasing for the next four years due to those large projects.
Noting this year’s utility bill has been approved and payment deadline moved to June, city manager Sean McGill said that, going forward next year, the city may have to look at all its available options and challenges when it comes to the utility bill and property taxes, but the city also needs to find the right balance.
The utility bill payment deadline has already been extended this year until June.
Council had approved the flat rate utility bill increase by a total of $40, from $1,090 for a single-family home in 2019, to $1,130 in 2020.
As far as property taxes, Delta staff will be coming back with a report on potential options including pushing back the penalty date for late payment, but the city has to be cautious because it represents such an important portion of Delta’s revenue stream, McGill said.
