性视界传媒鈥檚 general manager of finance Kam Grewal told council Monday that 性视界传媒 taxpayers would鈥檝e had no tax increase in 2024 had the 性视界传媒 Police Service not existed, and the city was 鈥渟till in the RCMP-only world.鈥�

He noted the policing budget with both the RCMP and SPS is $221.5 million for operations in 2024.

鈥淲hat is the difference and how much does that equate to in terms of a tax increase for 2024?鈥� Coun. Rob Stutt asked.

鈥淭he difference between those two would be $33.5 million,鈥� Grewal replied. 鈥淚n terms of equating that to a tax increase for 2024, that would be a seven per cent tax increase equivalent.鈥�

鈥淕iven your response,鈥� Stutt pressed on, 鈥渋f we only had the RCMP our tax increase would have been a zero per cent tax increase for 2024, is that correct?鈥�

鈥淵es,鈥� Grewal replied. 鈥淥ur tax increase as proposed for both general and the roads is six plus one, so that seven per cent could have been removed and zero per cent would have balanced the budget.鈥�

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性视界传媒 Mayor Brenda Locke seemed astounded. 鈥淪orry, I just want to stick it back in my head 鈥� we would have had a zero per cent operating this year if we were not imposed with this transition? If we were just with the RCMP we would have zero?鈥�

To that, Grewal replied that had the SPS 鈥渘ot been in the picture, so to speak, the budget for policing at the current levels would have been $188 million and just doing the simple math on the $221.5 million, that difference is $33.5 million equating to a seven per cent tax increase so both the roads, one per cent, and the general operating increase of six per cent would not have been necessary.鈥�

Council gave final approval Monday to 26 bylaws related to the 2024 city budget with councillors Linda Annis, Mike Bose, Mandeep Nagra and Doug Elford voting against. Among these was the road levy.

鈥淪o, on the question all in favour?鈥� Locke asked sardonically. 鈥淎ll opposed to having roads, maintenance in 性视界传媒? Councillor Elford, Councillor Annis, Councillor Bose and Councillor Nagra.鈥�

On April 22 third-reading was passed the budget which includes a six per cent property tax hike, a one per cent increase in the roads and tax levy, and a secondary suite fee increase on top of costlier utility rate fees.

Earlier in the evening, council approved the city鈥檚 2024 audited and consolidated financial statements as presented by general manager of finance Kam Grewal in a 58-page .

鈥淚t鈥檚 obvious the City of 性视界传媒 is in very good financial health,鈥� Coun. Doug Elford said. 鈥淚t looks, appears to me that were we significantly in a surplus this year, is that correct, or of last year I mean?鈥�

Grewal replied that is correct and the city was 鈥渄efinitely in a surplus position鈥� at the end of 2023.

鈥淚 would suspect we will have another strong year in 2024 but given the macro environment relation to interest rates and what-not, it may not be as strong as it was in 2023,鈥� which Grewal added 鈥渨as one of the strongest years that we鈥檝e had so I鈥檇 be hesitant to say we鈥檒l replicate that but it is possible.鈥�

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Coun. Linda Annis noted there is more than $83 million in surplus and asked if that will be used to pay down debt or used for capital projects. Grewal replied that surpluses are 鈥減redominantly鈥� used to fund the City of 性视界传媒鈥檚 capital program. 鈥淭he lion鈥檚 share of that is toward infrastructure.鈥�

Coun. Gordon Hepner asked what 性视界传媒鈥檚 current debt load is, related to the Municipal Finance Authority. Grewal said it鈥檚 鈥渋n the neighbourhood鈥� of $260 million 鈥渟o relatively low in terms of what we can borrow. So from that perspective we鈥檙e very healthy in terms of debt load.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 still a debt, Kam,鈥� Hepner rejoined.