TAMRMS#: B06
9.1
REQUEST FOR DECISION
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Bylaw 24/2025 - Master Rates Bylaw Schedule “H”
Presented by: Regan Lefebvre, Senior Manager, Utilities
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RECOMMENDED MOTION(S)
recommendation
That Bylaw 24/2025, being a bylaw to amend the Master Rates Bylaw under which fees, rates and charges are set, be read a first time.
That Bylaw 24/2025 be read a second time.
That unanimous consent be given for consideration of third reading of Bylaw 24/2025.
That Bylaw 24/2025 be read a third time.
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SUMMARY
Administration is seeking adjustments to the City’s fees, rates, and charges as established by bylaw as part of the 2026-2028 Municipal Budget Process.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
Council Policy C-FS-16, Municipal Fees and Charges, provides that if a fee or charge is set in a bylaw, only Council can adjust it:
“Council shall set fees contained within bylaw. The CAO shall make recommendation(s) as to the appropriate fee, as necessary.”
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
User fees are a critical element of a municipality’s revenue mix and represent a significant portion of the City’s revenue stream. Annually, departments review fees considering factors such as market comparables, benchmarks, cost recovery and the methodologies prescribed by Council in Policy C-FS-16 Municipal Fees and Charges that set parameters around the CAO’s authority to determine the fees adjustment in the case of fees that are not directly set by Council in a bylaw. This review process supports the City’s ‘user pay’ philosophy such that wherever and to the extent possible, the user of a particular program or service pays the cost of delivering or providing that program or service.
There are two types of fees as described below:
1. Fees, Rates and Charges Set By Bylaw
(requires Council approval since only Council has authority to pass bylaws)
2. Council Policy C-FS-16 Fees
(approved by CAO as per Policy)
The first type is a user fee set in one of the bylaws specifically mentioned in Schedule 11 of Policy CFS-16 or in the Master Rates Bylaw 1/82 and requires Council to pass one or more amending bylaws in order to make rate or fee changes. These fees are mandatory, and Administration has no discretion to waive them in the situations and with respect to the persons to whom they apply. This includes fees for such things as development permits, building permits, and electrical permit fees. The fees within Schedule “H” of the Master Rates Bylaw are of this type and must be set by Council.
These fee changes are not anticipated to increase the overall revenue for Utilities. However, they will better align with the growth-related costs for each type of development. In addition, Administrative will determine the appropriate proportionate division of this revenue to offset growth-related costs for each of the Water, Wastewater and Stormwater utilities.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
N/A
IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time
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
None at this time
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
Financial Planning
Stewardship and Development of annual operating and capital budgets for Municipal and Utility operations.
IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
ALTERNATIVE 1: Council can recommend that “No changes are to be made to the current Schedule “H” Fee Schedule or Water Service Connection Fees in the Water Bylaw for 2026”. This would also impact the proposed changes to remove Construction Water Fees from the proposed Water Bylaw as part of the budget. Administration would still proportionately divide the Water Services Connection Fees between Water, Wastewater and Stormwater. Provided that the Construction Water Fees also remain in the Water Bylaw, there would be no net impact on the Utilities budget by Alternative 1.
Financial:
None at this time - dependent on the changes proposed, if any.
Compliance & Legal:
None at this time
Program or Service:
None at this time
Organizational:
None at this time
Risks
None at this time
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Report Date: December 16, 2025
Author(s): Regan Lefebvre
Department: Public Operations
Department Director: Tim Saunders
Managing Director: Dinu Alex
Chief Administrative Officer: William Fletcher