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Budget 2026

Budget Process

The Community Charter requires local governments to approve a five-year Financial Plan Bylaw each year by the end of March. The Financial Plan is also referred to as the Budget. Generally, the annual budget is prepared through the following process:

  1. Each fall the CRD creates budgets for each of its services based on anticipated activities and priorities.
  2. Finance compiles all these budgets to make a draft financial plan.
  3. The draft financial plan is reviewed and approved by the CRD Board.
  4. The plan is revised based on public input and Board priorities until a final version is approved.
  5. The final version allows us to develop the Financial Plan Bylaw.
  6. The Financial Plan Bylaw must be adopted no later than March 31.

In the Financial Plan Bylaw, we set the property tax revenue we need for each service. This forms the basis for your taxation rates for the year. The CRD Board may amend the financial plan by bylaw at any time during the five-year period.

Learn more about the relationship between property assessments and property taxes, or view this helpful video provided by BC Assessment.

Budget Feedback

As part of preparing the Financial Plan, we seek out resident and stakeholder feedback on the proposed levels of spending, taxation, and methods of financing for various initiatives and services. Our budget consultation seeks to obtain feedback on the proposed changes to the budget, along with improving our understanding of resident's concerns about the budget. This feedback is then considered by the Board prior to its final decision making on the budget, and changes may be made to reflect public comments received.

Our Budget Feedback survey is available until February 24, 2026. The survey should take approximately 3 - 5 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous and no personal information is being collected as part of the survey. The results will be presented to the Board of Directors at their February 26, 2026 Finance-Budget Committee before final approval is considered.

Take the survey

From the The 2026 – 2030 Revised Preliminary Five-year Financial Plan:

The total budget is now $83,901,987 down $1,731,979 from $85,633,966 reported at the November 2024 Finance-Budget meeting. The tax requisition is now budgeted at $37,073,080 a reduction of $161,966 from the $37,235,046 reported in November. Overall, the tax requisition now represents a 5.1% increase over 2025.

The tax requisition is increasing at different levels for different services, and no resident will pay into every service. 

Administrative Services: 7.1%, increase of $370,381.

Airport Services: 0.5%, increase of $577

Contribution Services: -5.1%, decrease of $26,354

Development Services: 4.6%, increase of $60,809.

Director EA Administration: (13.8%) decrease of $7,393

Environmental Services 4.1% increase of $235,900

Emergency Planning: 1.0% increase $10,357

Library, Culture, and Heritage Services: 3.5% increase of $107,209

Sewer Services: 0% increase

Water Services: 0% increase

Utility Fees: 10.0% increase of $169,268

Streetlighting: (13.0%) decrease of $2,324

Grants for Assistance (20.1%) decrease of $26,921
The 2026 total Grants for Assistance requisition is $106,750 covering the grants awarded from
the annual intake and an additional $5,000.00 per director for year-round requests, a 20.1%
reduction from the 2025 total of $133,671.

Protective Services: 7.7% increase of $469,234.
This represents a decrease in the overall requisition of 1% or $4,800 the result of Interlakes
deferring a 2025 purchase until 2026 and an adjustment to the insurance budget due to actuals
coming in lower than amounts budgeted.

Recreation Services: 5.8% increase of $598,743
The November reports showed an increase to the requisition of 8% for the Central Cariboo
Recreation Service and an increase for the department of 7.2% for a total dollar increase of
$745,388. The budget at that time was thought overly aggressive and had yet to be reviewed by
the Central Cariboo Joint Committee. Upon review and following the prioritization and timing of
projects the requisition was reduced to four percent as presented here, reducing it from
$3,959,394 to $3,812,750.

Preliminary 5 Year Plan

2025 vs 2026 Comparative Tax Requisition Changes Summary
2025 vs 2026 Comparative Ad Valorem Tax Requisition Rate Details
2025 vs 2026 Comparative Utility Fee Summary
2026 - 2030 Financial Plan Community Works Fund Allocations
2026 - 2030 Provisional Five Year Financial Plan Summary
2026 Provisional Budget by Service Group
2026 Budgeted Revenues and Expenses
2026 - 2030 Detailed Preliminary 5-year Plan
Tax Impacts Report for Electoral Area Representative Properties

Further information to be provided once available.

Area A Final Budget Mailout

Area B Final Budget Mailout

Area C Final Budget Mailout

Area D Final Budget Mailout

Area E Final Budget Mailout

Area F Final Budget Mailout

Area G Final Budget Mailout

Area H Final Budget Mailout

Area I Final Budget Mailout

Area J Final Budget Mailout

Area K Final Budget (1)

Area L Final Budget Mailout (1)

Contact Us

Central Cariboo - Williams Lake
Suite D, 180 North Third Avenue, Williams Lake, BC V2G 2A4
Phone: 250-392-3351
Toll Free: 1-800-665-1636
Email the CRD