With a public consultation planned in less than two weeks, Dawson Creek city councillors have reviewed the budget and determined this year’s tax rate and operational deficit.
Council reconvened and heard updated options based on an almost five per cent boost in this year’s funds from the Peace River Agreement. After receiving revised numbers on the city’s allocation during a meeting on the second draft of the budget, councillors met midweek.
By dedicating 38 per cent of the increase in funds from the agreement to this area of the operational budget, the city’s tax rate will lower slightly, increasing by 5.45 per cent.
The raw tax rate impact seen in this year’s budget of 6.75 per cent, meaning there is a 1.3 per cent drop with the agreement money allocated.
Affordability was a key concern for Councillor Jerimy Earle during the first budget meeting of this week.
“Costs aren’t increasing in a vacuum. When somebody gets their paycheque, they don’t have the luxury of saying, ‘oh, this one-line item can go up,’” he said in City Hall.
Longtime Dawson Creek city councillor Charlie Parslow disagreed. During Wednesday’s meeting, he advised against touching the PRA funding. The amount each community receives is determined on an annual basis.
“(It) is really deferring a tax increase until next year. You’re widening the fiscal gap, you’re dipping into reserves, and you’re saying (the proposed) reduction in taxes is going to be covered by a windfall from PRA. How does that situate us? How does that build strength entering into next year’s budget,” Parslow pondered to the city councillors.
“Every time you cut something in whatever scenario you’re reducing taxes. So, if you’re considered about taxes and its impact then we should be looking at some cuts. None of that is on the table here.”
Based on his calculations, he said the average small business would save approximately around $3 per month based on the reduction – due to this, Parslow said voted against the proposed changes.
For the 2026 fiscal year, the city of Dawson Creek expects to operate with a deficit of approximately $50,000.
The year will end in the red as the city improves its economic development plan. It will take $110,000 from reserves to support the program, which is permitted only while it remains in a two-year “trial” phase, city staff said. A surplus of around $60,000 from last year will be used to cover part of the cost.
