2018 Annual Report

City of Chilliwack 35 Objectives, Measures and Progress OBJECTIVE STRATEGY MEASURE PROGRESS Financial Stability Plan for anticipate community needs Long-term Comprehensive Municipal Plan (CMP) updated annually 2018 CMP to Council in December 2017. Fund planned capital expenditures. Balance CMP without long-term borrowing. All capital expenditures funded without long-term debt in 2018 CMP. Build reserves for anticipated and unanticipated community needs. Maintain Unrestricted General Reserve Fund balance for unanticipated future. 2017 closing balance of $16 million. CMP includes an annual allocation to the Unrestricted Reserve. Maintain a reasonable tax burden for taxpayers. Annual tax rate increase similar to rate increase of other local governments. Chilliwack's 2018 tax increase was 2.62%, Abbotsford was 2.47%, Maple Ridge 2.98%, and Township of Langley 2.47%. To have Chilliwack maintain lower municipal taxation levies on a representative home when compared to similar communities in the Lower Mainland. Chilliwack has the lowest general municipal taxation levy, on a representative home, of the 19 Lower Mainland communities surveyed. With the inclusion of water, sewer and garbage collection fees, Chilliwack is lower by a substantially greater margin. To have Chilliwack maintain lower business taxation levies when compared to similar communities in the Lower Mainland in an effort to attract business to the area. Chilliwack continues to have the lowest business class multiplier of the 19 Lower Mainland communities surveyed. Explore opportunities for other sources of capital and operational funding. Available government grants successfully applied for include $2 million grant from Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) for the Lickman Interchange project and a $600,000 grant from MOTI toward the Valley Rail Trail project. In addition, we have received a $600,000 grant from the FVRD toward the Cultus Lake Road roundabout project. Identify priority projects that can be eligible for future infrastructure grants and save for the municipal funding portion. Incorporated a savings plan into the 10 Year CMP to fund the City's 1/3 funding portion for various projects that could be eligible for future grants. This will ensure projects proceed should an application receive funding. New growth pays for itself. DCC Bylaw annual review completed and rates amended accordingly. Good Stewardship of Municipal Infrastructure Maintain the road system. Average pavement quality index goals set at: Arterial 6.5, Collector 6.0, Local 5.5. Investment into the annual road rehabilitation program of $3.3 million in 2018 to allow surface condition maintenance. Incrementally increasing annually to $3.4 million in 2019 and rising to 3.7 million by 2023. Maintain the utility systems. Service delivery interruptions minimized. Flushed 120% of water system, and replaced over 300 life expired water meters. Over 2,250 backflow prevention devices tested. Dismantled, serviced and rebuilt over 1,100 fire hydrants. Installed 441 metres of new watermain and replaced 312 metres of aging cast iron water pipes. Installed 1,602 metres of sanitary sewer lines and replaced 3,213 metres of existing AC sewer pipes. Flushed 160 km of sewer lines. Maintain civic facilities. Extend the life of buildings and reduce unplanned costly repairs. Maintain regular major maintenance program and roof inspection program for all civic facilities. Upgraded 3 civic building roofs. Shut down the Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre for three weeks for repairs on the moveable floor, tile work in the pool basins and changing natatorium lights to LED.