The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) has adopted its 2022-2026 budget.
The financial plan was adopted at the board’s regular meeting on March 23, 2022. Many households will see a tax increase. Part of this is due to higher assessment values, while part of it is due to financial increases for improved service levels offered by the ACRD.
The 2022 budget is approximately $27 million, an increase of $3 million over the previous year. The financial plan includes a tax increase of 8.28 per cent, including the Regional Hospital District annual budget.
“It is always difficult when we face increasing taxes to the areas we serve, but these increases are a reflection of how much our region is growing,” said ACRD board chair John Jack.
“We are implementing a number of changes that came out of the region’s first-ever Strategic Plan. This means we are adding resources and increasing service levels, which will in turn offer more to the residents of our region.”
Some of the key changes coming out of the adoption of the Strategic Plan include:
- Increasing service levels within parks, solid waste, information and technology, and utility operations.
- Increasing resources targeted toward the development and implementation of a communications strategy.
- Ongoing improvements to the region’s fire service and the emergency planning program.
- Temporary resourcing for the coordination and implementation of more than $9 million in grant revenue.
The full financial plan can be viewed at www.acrd.bc.ca/finance. Questions can be sent to budget@acrd.bc.ca.