Campbell River Conducting Study Of Funding Strategy For Stormwater Management

The City of Campbell River is conducting a study to review and recommend a more fair and sustainable funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program..

A new stormwater rate model would represent a shift in how the City funds its stormwater management system.

The system is aging and needs to be properly maintained and rehabilitated to ensure homes, buildings, roads and other community assets are protected from stormwater damage.

The City is reviewing options for a fair and sustainable funding source to support the current and future stormwater management program.

Residents have always paid for stormwater management through a stormwater parcel tax, which can be found on property tax notices.

Through this tax, the amount residents pay is the same, no matter the load each property puts on the stormwater system.

That means a small house, for example, is charged the same as a property that contributes a lot of runoff – like a large parking lot. The City says it believes it can do better.

The Stormwater Utility Funding Study will assess stormwater rate models that would shift how Campbell River funds its stormwater management system, from a parcel tax to a stormwater user fee based on a property’s load on the City’s stormwater system.

Stormwater rate models being considered would have rates calculated based on the average amount of hard surface on a property.

Hard or impervious surfaces, which can easily be measured using aerial photography, typically include roofs, driveways, walkways, parking areas and more.

Details of the proposed fee change will be reviewed and considered by council prior to implementation.

For more information, visit Get Involved Campbell River.