Frequently asked questions

The capital plan is a four-year investment plan in our city’s infrastructure and amenities. As the City evolves and grows, it is important that we maintain, upgrade and renew core infrastructure and amenities that serve communities, within the framework of a balanced budget.  

Investments in the capital plan are proposed across 12 categories:

• Housing
• Childcare 
• Parks and open spaces 
• Arts and culture 
• Community facilities 
• Public safety facilities
• Municipal facilities and equipment 
• Transportation and street use 
• Water, sewers and drainage 
• Garbage, organics, zero waste facilities and landfill 
• Renewable energy 
• Technology systems and equipment 

Review the draft 2023-2026 Capital Plan (PDF – Full Version, 74 pages) to learn more.

Proposed investments will be guided by the following priorities:

• Renew critical aging water and sewer infrastructure
• Renew and upgrade aging community, public safety and civic facilities to strengthen community resilience and business continuity
• Preserve and create affordable housing and childcare to attract and retain our workforce and grow our economy
• Advance climate adaptation and mitigation investment

The City conducts public engagement on the capital plan every four years. The capital plan identifies program priorities and specific projects to be completed in a four-year period.

Public engagement on the City’s annual budget is conducted every year. This engagement focuses specifically on:

• The operating budget, which covers the day-to-day expenses required to deliver programs and services to residents e.g. garbage pickup, running libraries and community centres.
• The capital budget, which sets out how capital plan projects will be funded in that year.

There are three sources of funding for the capital plan:

• City contributions, including property tax, user fees such as utility fees (water and sewer fees) and parking revenue, and other operating revenue funds. 
• Development contributions, funded by new development, and which can take the form of cash or in-kind contributions.
• Partner contributions, including cash contributions from other governments (federal, provincial and regional), non-profit agencies, foundations and philanthropists.

As the City evolves and grows, it is important that we maintain, upgrade and renew core infrastructure and amenities that serve our community, within the framework of a balanced budget. 

Staff evaluates the City’s needs in terms of infrastructure and amenities and brings a draft capital plan forward to Council for review, public feedback, and approval.  Some capital expenditures require approval by plebiscite.

The public’s input will help inform City Council’s final approval of the Capital Plan in July 2022. Feedback from the engagement will be compiled into an engagement summary report which will be posted on the City’s website prior to Council approval. The final capital plan will inform plebiscite questions around borrowing that will be asked as part of the local election in October 2022.