The towns of Osoyoos and Oliver are gearing up to deliberate on their budgets for 2022.
The Town of Oliver will continue their recent steady increases to the community’s tax rates to cover the majority of their policing costs which begin in 2022.
That means residents are once again looking at a nine per cent increase to their taxes. Separately residents can look at a 10 per cent increase to water costs and a four per cent increase to sewer costs.
The town is looking to transition from paying 30 per cent of policing costs to 70 per cent after receiving their updated census results and policing package in January.
Following budget deliberations and readings in council, the financial plan will head to public hearings before adoption in March of 2022.
READ MORE: Penticton draft budget calls for 8.5 per cent tax hike for 2022
Osoyoos is looking at a 4.5 per cent increase to the municipal tax rate, roughly in line with inflation. The Real Property Levy will be increasing by 3.06 per cent in order to meet increasing RCMP costs.
To make up for lost revenue due to COVID-19, the town has budgeted for using $100,000 in the COVID Restart Grant funds for 2022 and 2023.
Sewer fees are expected to increase by 7.8 per cent or $21.85 for the average single-family residence, which will go towards increased operating costs and towards additional infrastructure costs.
Water rates are also expected to increase by 4.19 per cent in water user fees and a 3.62 increase for water district user fees, which is an annual increase of $15.85 to a single-family residence.
The town is looking at an over $9 million groundwater treatment plant which is part of the 2022 fee increase, among other capital projects.
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