TAMRMS#: B06
9.2
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Bylaw 25/2025 Utility Bylaws (1st, 2nd, 3rd Readings)
Presented by: William Fletcher, Chief Administrative Officer
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
1. That Bylaw 25/2025 be read a first time.
2. That Bylaw 25/2025 be read a second time.
3. That unanimous consent be given for consideration of third reading of Bylaw 25/2025.
4. That Bylaw 25/2025 be read a third time.
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SUMMARY
This report presents Bylaw 25/2025 for all three readings on December 16, 2025.
Bylaw 25/2025 is an omnibus bylaw that amends the Residential Solid Waste, Water, Storm Sewer and Sanitary Sewer Bylaws, to allow new utility rates, fees and charges to be implemented on January 1, 2026.
Attached to this Report are copies of the relevant parts or Schedules of the four underlying utility bylaws as they will look if Bylaw 25/2025 is passed. Redlining has been used to highlight the amendments.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
On June 3, 2025 Council passed the following motions:
PM-26-006
That the 10 Year Utility RMR Capital Plan provided as an attachment to the June 3, 2025 agenda report, be approved.
That the following postponed motion be approved:
PM-26-006
That the 2026 Utility Capital Budget of 9 projects be funded in the amount of $18,449,100.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Each year, Council approves a utility operating budget to provide required resources to deliver its programs and services to the community and a utility capital budget to provide required resources to maintain existing infrastructure and to support future capital initiatives.
The 2026 Consolidated Utility Budget of $78,456,600 consists of:
• 9 Utility RMR Capital projects in the amount of $18,449,100 approved in June
• No Utility Capital Growth projects
• Utility operating budget in the amount of $60,007,500.
The Utility budget results in an average utility bill increase of 7% from the prior year.
The City is charged for wastewater treatment based on the amount of water the City purchases. To ensure costs are recovered, the 2026 customer outdoor water service rate will increase to $4.69 per cubic meter (2024 rate was $3.90). The 2026 rate consists of a customer water consumption charge of $1.94 per cubic meter plus a wastewater treatment charge of $2.75 per cubic meter for the total rate of $4.69 per cubic meter. The 2026 outdoor water service rate ensures that the City is recovering the cost that is paid for both water and wastewater treatment.
Bylaw 25/2025 proposes that the fees for water for construction from line 5 in Schedule “A” of the Water Bylaw are to be included into the Utility Service Connection Fees in Schedule “H” of the Master Rates Bylaw. If approved, Line 5 of Schedule “A” in the Water Bylaw will be deleted.
The Solid Waste and Storm Sewer Bylaws have been amended to add a new section to address billing errors. It authorizes the City to issue a supplementary utility bill to correct any miscalculated charges-either billing the customer for undercharges or refunding overpayments. The amendment also allows the City to apply any overpayment as a credit toward future utility bills instead of issuing a direct refund.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
N/A
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
Approval of the 2026 Utility Operating Budget will result in a 7% increase in the average residential utility bill.
Compliance & Legal:
The Municipal Government Act provides that Council must adopt a utility operating and capital budget for each calendar year (ss.242 and 245).
From a process perspective, Bylaw 25/2025 should be passed after the 2026 budget is adopted by Council.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
None at this time.
Risks
None at this time.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #5: Financial Sustainability: ensure responsible and transparent fiscal management, decision making and long-term financial sustainability that allows the City to respond to changes to revenue sources.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Financial:
Stewardship of development of annual operating and capital budgets for Municipal and Utility operations.
The approved operating and capital budgets shall serve as the financial plan for the City and provide Administration with the direction and resources necessary to accomplish Council’s strategic direction and Council approved services and service levels in accordance with the Services and Service Levels Inventory.
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
N/A
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Report Date: December 16, 2025
Author(s): Terra Shmyr
Department: Financial & Strategic Services
Department Director: Anne Victoor
Managing Director: Diane McMordie
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher