Taxpayers in Quesnel will be hit with a rash of fee increases in the new year.
City Council approved the first three readings of its Comprehensive Fees and Charges Amendment Bylaw at last (Tuesday) night’s meeting.
Keri Bolton, the Director of Finance, provided the details.
“For water utility fees, once again we have some very larges projects in our primary capital plan that we have to get done including a new well, so we will be recommending increasing water fees by 10 percent. This would be an increase to a single family dwelling of $26.08. For sewer utility fees, again inflation is a big factor here in our capital there, so a 5 percent increase is recommended for sewer fees and that will cost a single family dwelling $14.64. Garbage fees, we haven’t increased them for quite some time, so it was recommended an increase of 15 percent, so the small can will now be 115 dollars a year.”
Bolton also hinted that landfill fees could be going up eventually, although people were spared in that area last night.
“Landfill fees we’re not currently touching. We’re going to be reviewing all the information we got from the CRD about landfill bans, and then coming back in the spring with some recommendations of what to do up there.”
Even four legged residents won’t escape this Council’s fee increases, as dog license fees will also be going up by 5 dollars per license.
The vote to increase the fees was unanimous with absolutely zero discussion or concerns raised.
The increases will take effect in January.
These fee hikes follow a 5.2 percent tax increase voted on in April, and an 8 percent increase in recreation in the North Cariboo.
Both of those increases are the highest in recent memory.
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