Greater Nanaimo Pollution Control Centre upgrades and additional transit hours will lead to an increase in the City of Nanaimo’s tax contribution to the Regional District of Nanaimo.
The centre on Hammond Bay Road is undergoing $81.7 million in upgrades that will see construction of secondary wastewater facilities, with $45.5 million allocated in 2018. The load will be lessened by $140,470 thanks to $6 million in federal gas tax money that was granted in March. RDN Transit will expand service by 2,000 hours in 2018.
The city’s total tax 2018 requisition will amount to $88.60 per $100,000 of assessed value, according to Wendy Idema, RDN director of finance. Idema said it is a 10.6 per cent increase from the previous year.
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In the 2017 budget, money previously collected for the Island Corridor Foundation was returned to taxpayers after the RDN board terminated a contribution agreement between the two, which Idema said is like a reversal this year.
“Last year, [we] gave back $100, but this year [we’re] giving you zero,” said Idema. “I’m not charging you, but I’m not giving you back money. It makes it look like there’s a big increase that’s having an impact.”
In terms of the transit expansion, the overall net tax impact is about $280,000, said Idema.
In terms of RDN rural residents in areas surrounding Nanaimo, taxpayers in Area A (South Wellington and Cedar area) will see tax requisition increasing 1.9 per cent, which adds up to to $123.70 per $100,000.
Residents on Gabriola and surrounding islands, Area B, will see a 5.6 per cent increase to $93.80 per $100,000.
Residents in the Extension and Pleasant Valley area (Area C) will see property taxes increasing 1.3 per cent to $107.50 per $100,000.
Taxpayers in Nanoose Bay (Area E) will see a two-per cent property tax hike to $91.20 per $100,000.
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