Public feedback was sought and clarification offered by Fort St. John city council, which hosted residents to discuss the proposed budget. The budget was adjusted due to lower-than-expected Peace River Agreement funding.
Council first heard the draft 2026 budget at a meeting last month, but some figures were tentative as plans were finalized. One key element — Fort St. John’s share of the Peace River Agreement — came in at about $1.8 million less than staff had expected.
“Actual PRA funds did go up, but the way the PRRD (Peace River regional district) does the calculation on who gets what depends on the population, some of the tax rate classes … (and) a few other variables,” explained Shirley Collington, the city of Fort St John’s director of finance.
“In the end we didn’t get as much as we were predicting we were going to get, so I adjusted the total budget down to reflect that,” she continued in her presentation at City Hall on Monday, Feb. 23.
The operating budget is set to $129 million, down from $131 million.
An estimated tax rate increase of 1.85 per cent is expected in the city to fund operating needs, according to its finance director. This figure is used in combination with the assessment numbers received from the provincial assessor to calculate the amount owed in property taxes and can change after B.C. Assessment addresses pending appeals.
“We’re very tight on our budget. There’s not a whole lot of wiggle room. That being said, I guess, there’s always cuts that can be done, but it would affect services. It would affect what we could actually provide,” said Collington.
For the capital budget, $25 million from the Peace River Agreement will cover part of the expected $58 million in projects, none of which is funded through taxes. The money will help complete the city’s sign replacement project, road work and upgrades to city-owned equipment, including a new fire truck that is en route.
No direct feedback on the budget was submitted to council. Members and staff instead clarified information for residents in attendance, including preliminary plans for the land where the unusable IT Building now stands and is slated for demolition.
