Just less than $71 million in capital budget items and special projects were approved by Prince Rupert City Council, on Dec. 13.
The Capital Budget and Special Projects report will form part of the city’s 2022 fiscal budget and was presented to city council at a Special Committee of the Whole meeting prior to a Special Regular City council meeting.
“This schedule [of proposed expenses] is submitted for approval by resolution to enable these projects to be started earlier in the fiscal year while the 2022 Financial Plan is finalized,” Corrine Bomben, chief financial officer for the City of Prince Rupert said, in a report to council. “It provides staff the time required to tender projects, obtain design requirements and other specialized reports for projects to be scheduled and performed throughout the year.”
“With so much uncertainty regarding revenue sources for 2022, staff have kept requests to those necessary to continue providing service,” she stated.
Some of those requests include a $1 million truck for Prince Rupert Fire-Rescue Department to replace the 1997 pump truck currently past its 15-year front-line life expectancy.
“Use beyond 20-years is no longer recommended due to breakdown potential, Bomben stated in the written proposal. “The city mechanics team struggles to keep this reserve truck operational, with its emergency lights failing, and parts replacement unavailable since [the manufacturer] folded in 2014.”
Due to pandemic impacts and slowdowns, with build times being more than a year, the replacement is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, Bomben stated.
Other large expense items include $5.3 million for a CN Building Revitalization project, $30 million for a new RCMP detachment building, $11 million for civic improvements including waterfront development of $10.9 million, $1 million for a landfill dozer to replace the rental equipment used by the city over the past several years, $1 million toward the annual paving of city roads and streets, $2.61 million for landfill cell closure of the west berm of the current cell, $1.66 million to finish off the new landfill cell project.
Also requested is $5 million for the Woodworth Dam replacement project, estimated to be completed by March 2022.
“The project was initially scheduled for completion in 2021; however, due to the COVID-19pandemic, severe weather conditions, flooding, and contractor delays it was unable to be completed as scheduled,” Bomben stated. Unused funds from 2021 will be carried forward to top up the amount requested.
Some expenses have been rolled over from 2021 due to project delays and implications from the pandemic. Many of the items are funded out of grants, reserves, surplus, dividends and debt to limit the impact of taxes and utility fees, Bomben said.
“The taxation and utility fee impact of the requests from capital and special projects operated through all funds is always taken into account when proposing how projects will be paid for,” Bomben explained in the report. “This year, projects funded through property taxation are $200 thousand less than in 2021. Although the future of the city’s taxation need is uncertain at this time, taxes are not expected to increase as a result of the projects proposed.”
To review the full report and costs visit: Capital Budget and Special Projects
K-J Millar | Journalist
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