Feedback is being sought from residents regarding the Cariboo Regional District’s proposed 2025 budget.
On January 23, 2025, the Board of Directors provided preliminary approval of the budget.
In a release it stated most property tax rates for CRD services are seeing minor increases or remaining the same as in 2024.
It went on to say however significant assessment increases from new development and rising property values will result in increased taxation revenues.
Board Chair Margo Wagner said it’s impossible to give an overall rate of what the tax increase will be across the board for residents because it really depends on what services they access.
“Somebody for instance who is on a CRD Water System and a Sewer System and is within a Cariboo Regional District funded Fire Protection Area, they will see more of an increase in related cost to those services than someone who lives with a well as a field septic system and is not in the Fire Protection Area. Those people who do not access those services do not get billed for them.”
The CRD shared some examples of how increased funding will be used:
Financing a loan to rebuild the Red Bluff Firehall in the Quesnel Fringe Fire Protection Area.
Replacing fire tenders for the Interlakes VFD and Barlow Creek VFD, which are essential for supplying water for firefighting in rural areas.
And increasing the amount of funding saved in capital reserves for recreation services in the North and Central Cariboo which will safeguard funding for future project expenses.
Wagner said the Budget has to be back into the Provincial Government by April first and explained the reasoning for that.
“The CRD does not set the Mill Rate, Municipalities set their own Mill Rates Regional Districts don’t. So we decide with staff input, the financial Department, and input from the Board what we need to maintain the 120-plus services that the CRD offers to maintain and to ensure that we have we have some capital funds. We then submit that total into the Province, they then add it’s piece of the pie, like school taxes, policing, BC Assessment, and then they set the rate that is charged for the taxes as a whole.”
Wagner added that there is a survey available now on the Cariboo Regional District website and a mail-out is going out which is different for each Electoral Area.
CRD residents can participate and provide their feedback on the proposed budget anytime up to February 19, 2025.
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