The Town of Gibsons advanced its 2025 tax rates during its May 6 regular council meeting. Notable is an eight per cent municipal tax increase, which staff successfully reduced from an initially proposed 10 per cent.
Financial plan
First up was the 2025-2029 financial plan.
The financial plan bylaw includes a nine per cent increase in combined garbage and organics, a 10 per cent increase in sewer utility and water rates, and an eight per cent municipal tax increase. These increases create a $252 increase in taxes for a typical single-family residence.
William Wallace, Gibsons’ director of finance, said there have been “a number of activities, meetings, events, that fulfill the requirement of a public process and the preparation of a five-year plan.”
Wallace highlighted the community dialogue in January, when 50 members of the public joined staff and council for “many presentations and lots of questions and some pretty good discussions.”
Council voted to give the financial plan bylaw first, second and third readings.
Municipal Tax
Wallace said staff completed the 2025 cost reduction objective of $242,000, with $108,000 as a permanent cost reduction. He clarified, “There was no miracle there. It was clarifying, and some final corrections to the new labour table.”
Additionally, $54,000 for a vacant engineering position will be saved, and a $50,000 estimate from the Labour table as a result of Public Works roles being updated and modified.
The Labour Table is a listing of all council-approved Town positions, the 2025 total payroll cost to the Town for each of those positions and the percent allocations of each position’s cost in dollars to applicable department or service budgets.
Lastly, a $30,000 reduction in consulting service budget line items was identified by staff.
Coun. Stafford Lumley asked what the business multiplier was. Wallace answered that it will be 2.5176 per cent in 2025.
Wallace broke down the 8 per cent tax increase into four components, explaining the general municipal tax revenue requirement was budgeted for a total of $4,744,620.
- 3.3 per cent for the new collective agreement changes,
- 1.7 per cent for repositioning of the compensation grid,
- 0.9 per cent for a new part-time clerk position,
- 2.1 per cent is for non-labour cost changes.
Council granted first, second and third readings to the 2025 tax rates bylaw.
Additional Bylaws
The water parcel tax bylaw, sewer parcel tax bylaw and the community recreation facilities parcel tax bylaw all received first, second and third readings from council.
Mayor Silas White highlighted that there will be a special council meeting May 13 at noon, where the bylaws will be adopted.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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