Residents will have to dig a little deeper into their wallets to use various services in the new year.
City council gave the stamp of approval to the master rates bylaw this week, which will see a range of fee increases for a variety of items, including development appeals, subdivisions, transit fares and sports facilities.
As of Jan. 1, a monthly commuter pass for transit users will climb to $90 a month from $85, while local passes will move to $55 from $52. A pack of 15 commuter tickets will climb as well to $46 from $43.
But those rates aren’t set in stone.
By late May, council is expected to review a transit strategy fair that will look at everything from handi-bus to regular bus fares.
“We’ve made a short-term decision. Certainly the increases are not overbearing, but they are allowing us to keep our cost recovery to about 36 or 38 per cent,” said Mayor Nolan Crouse, who noted the city has historically recovered about 40 per cent of transit costs.
“As far as what we are doing, it is not onerous at this point. What we end up in terms of the spring has yet to be determined.”
Fees for various planning and development matters will increase by 25 per cent, while tobacco license fees will jump significantly from $150 to $400.
Sports facilities, such as clubhouses, ice space and aquatic services will also see slight increases between $3 and $10 an hour.
Council was first presented with the fees and charges review in late August, but approved it subject to the review of the 2010 budget.
Only one amendment to the master rates bylaw was made by council last week and that was to exempt the cost of licensing new dogs in a proven rescue foster home.
“They are taking dogs off the streets and finding foster homes for them,” said Coun. Gareth Jones. “They provide a particular service to the community.”
The fee increases result in an additional $667,100 in revenue for the city’s operating budget.
