Delta residents can learn more about the city's draft 2025 financial plan and share their thoughts directly with council members at a series of budget workshops beginning next week.
As part of the city's enhanced public engagement program, council's annual budget workshops this year are, for the first time, open to the public to attend in person or watch online. During these workshops, council will receive the results of the second round of public engagement, which closed Sunday (Nov. 3), and discuss the proposed budget with staff.
Also new this year, two of the workshops will be preceded by "Coffee with Council" events, where attendees can connect directly with council members to share their thoughts and ask questions about the draft 2025 budget.
The first two budget workshops are scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13 at City Hall (4500 Clarence Taylor Cres.) and Thursday, Nov. 14 at North Delta Centre for the Arts (11425 84th Ave.). Both meetings will run from 6:15 to 8 p.m., after Coffee with Council from 5 to 6 p.m.
A third workshop (no coffee event this time) is scheduled for 5 to 8p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at City Hall.
Links to watch livestreams of all three meetings will be posted on delta.ca. The draft budget and related material is available now at https://letstalk.delta.ca/2025-budget.
Delta’s 2025 Draft Financial Plan, which was presented to council on Oct. 21, would see property taxes increase 6.75 per cent — one per cent less than in 2024 — which for an average Delta home valued at $1.3 million would equal about $192 for the year, or $16 per month.
That’s in addition to a combined $21 per month estimated increase in water, sewer and solid waste collection fees, collected via a flat-rate utility fee.
The budget as presented on Oct. 21 incorporates a projected 40 per cent increase to the Metro Vancouver sewer levy charge, primarily due to rising project costs for the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant which are being shared by all member municipalities.
Based on the city’s estimates at the time, the average Delta home would see their sewer charge increase by about 35 per cent or $14 per month, while fees for water and solid waste are anticipated to go up by $6 and $1 per month, respectively.
It's likely those figures will be different when the budget is discussed at next week's workshops, as Metro Vancouver's board approved the regional district's 2025 budget on Nov. 1.
Metro's budget includes a 7.7 per cent cost increase over its amended 2024 budget for liquid waste services in the Fraser Sewage Area (which includes Delta), for an average annual household impact of $421, up from $391.
The overall increase in taxes in fees for the Fraser Sewage Area is 6.3 per cent, bring the amount charged to the average home to $786 for the year. That includes a 5.7 per cent increase for water services ($200, up from $189), a 4.8 per cent increase for solid waste services ($71, up from $68) and a 2.3 per cent increase for other regional district services ($94, up from $92).
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Delta's proposed 2025 budget calls for total expenditures of $551 million, which covers the city’s general operating costs ($257.4 million, 40 per cent of which will go towards police and fire services), utilities operating ($65.5 million) and capital projects ($228.1 million).
The 2025 capital program includes $153.1 million dedicated to new recreation, roads, drainage, parks, sewer and water projects to support Delta’s current and future needs. Another $75 million is for provisions and carry-forward projects.
One of the major projects funded in the draft 2025 budget is the new Winskill Aquatic and Fitness Centre in Tsawwassen, which will include a redesign of the baseball diamonds. The project is budgeted for $130 million, with $10 million in the 2024 budget, $60 million in 2025 and the same in 2026.
As presented to council earlier this year, the city is planning to primarily fund this project by borrowing, which will be serviced through a two-per cent Recreation Capital Investment Levy.
Other projects funded through the 2025 budget include the Ladner Waterfront Revitalization Project, field upgrades at Seaquam and South Delta secondary schools, Annieville and Cromie Park upgrades, a 96th Avenue multi-use pathway and related road improvements (happening jointly with the City of Surrey), Sungod Recreation Centre parking lot resurfacing, and infrastructure upgrades to allow for new housing growth — proposed investments in roads, infrastructure, green technology and recreation the city says are consistent with resident feedback received during the first phase of budget public engagement.
The rest of the property tax increase (4.75 per cent) is driven by inflation and “significant cost escalations” relating to things like construction materials, labour and services — for example, the price for E-Comm 911, which manages emergency calls for police, fire and ambulance, is set to go up by 20 per cent.
A public information board produced by the city shows Delta’s taxes and fees are among the lowest in the Lower Mainland, typically costing the average homeowner $4,400 a year compared to the regional average of $5,600. Further, property tax increases in the city over the past 20 years have been about 20 per cent less than in comparable Metro Vancouver cities.
As well, Delta had the lowest business tax to residential tax ratio of comparable Metro Vancouver cities in 2024, with local businesses paying 1.91 times what residents pay. Richmond’s ratio was 2.14, Surrey 2.36, Langley Township 2.88 and New Westminster 3.05. The highest was Coquitlam with 3.40.
First, second and third readings of Delta’s financial plan bylaw are schedule to take place on Dec. 2, with final adoption on Dec. 9. Readings and adoption of the city’s annual tax rates bylaw will take place in April and/or May.
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