By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Happy New Year: Nanaimo user rates among several cost hikes coming in 2019

Dec 28, 2018 | 1:28 PM

NANAIMO — As if the New Year’s Eve hangover wasn’t bad enough, life will be instantly more expensive for homeowners in Nanaimo on Jan. 1.

New user rates approved by Council in December take effect for 2019, adding roughly $50 to the annual bill for an average Nanaimo home.

A 7.5 per cent increase in water rates represents the most notable jump, with a City staff report estimating an average home will pay $38 more for water when compared to the 2018 rate.

The staff report said annual hikes to water rates are scheduled in order to prepare for “extensive investment in water treatment and supply infrastructure” over future decades.

User fees for waste collection jump $5 to $170 annually, a far cry from the reduction to $130 predicted for 2019 by City staff when automated collection was introduced.

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Sewer rates meanwhile are up four per cent, or about $5 per year.

In total, the average Nanaimo homeowner will pay roughly $820 in 2019 for water, sewer and garbage collection.

That won’t be the only municipal hit for local taxpayers.

Councillors are one vote away from approving a financial plan with a five per cent tax increase, meaning a home valued at $464,000 will pay about $150 more for property taxes compared to 2018.

That figure only includes the City portion of the property tax bill and does not take into account expected increases from the Regional District of Nanaimo, school district and regional library.

Potential increases in home values could also have a huge impact on tax rates, with BC Assessment set to release new property assessments on Jan. 2.

Bank accounts will be facing pressure from several other sources early in 2019 as well.

Fortis BC will increase rates for natural gas by about $68 per year for the average user, ICBC applied for a 6.3 per cent hike in basic insurance rates and new carbon tax pricing is expected to drive up gas prices.

BC Hydro was previously approved for a three per cent spike in rates in 2019, however the government is currently undertaking a review aimed at dealing with the issue.

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