By Dominic Abassi

Average Nanaimo homeowner paying $80 more for taxes, user rates in 2017

Dec 28, 2016 | 4:27 PM

NANAIMO — Residents in Nanaimo are getting a clearer picture of what their taxes and user rates are going to look like next year.

Council has locked in water, sewer and garbage collection rates for 2017 and are one vote away from adopting next year’s budget, with a 1.5 per cent property tax increase.

According to the city, user rates are on the rise by a total of 6.2 per cent starting Jan. 1. A typical single family home will be paying just over $40 more per year for water, sewer and garbage collection.

“Adopted by Council on May 2, 2016, the City’s Financial Plan proposed annual increases to the water and sewer user rates on January 1st of each year. Revenues collected through these increases assist the City in paying for costs incurred during the long-term replacement of fixed assets, including water supply and distribution assets and sanitary sewer assets,” a city release states.

Meanwhile, property taxes are slated to go up in 2017, after residents did not see a municipal tax hike last year.

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The 1.5 per cent increase would see a typical home paying just under $40 more for the city of Nanaimo portion of property taxes.

The tax rate was originally projected to jump by two per cent, but was lowered by a reduction in funding for economic development, according to manager of financial planning Deborah Duncan.

Duncan says council is expected to approve the 2017 financial plan, including the new tax rate, at an early January meeting.

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You can view the city’s Budget 2017 Quick Facts sheet here.