Capital Budget 2026
Capital Budget Presentation is here.
Draft Capital Plan is here.
Unlike Capital Budget 2025, which was a 'transition' or continuation of previous Council, the Capital Budget 2026 represents the first step in a new 4 year plan. At it's core, the capital plan outlines a strategy to address the city's rapid population growth while managing aging infrastructure and significant deferred maintenance, noting that previous maintenance had been paid for in-part by debt - not taxes. The core challenge is a "tug-of-war" between three competing priorities: maintaining reliable existing services, funding new infrastructure to support a surging population, and keeping taxes affordable.
The proposed capital funding plan for 2026/27 includes major projects like the Beechville Lakeside Timberlea Community Centre, a new Fire & Emergency Headquarters (Station 1), BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) investments and Integrated Mobility Corridors, continued committment to the Mill Cove Ferry Terminal, and substantial bus replacements. However, the report warns that the current four-year trajectory puts the city's financial health at risk - the infrastructure to match our pace of growth is unsustainable without tax increases or difficult trade-off decisions regarding service levels and project prioritization.
To offset these challenges, Council directed staff to come back to Council with a briefing note:
THAT Budget Committee direct the CAO to prepare a briefing note as an under-budget request asking staff to:
- Prioritize capital investment projects defined as Capital Renewal in Attachment 4 of the staff report that maintains the safety, reliability, and condition of existing assets; and
- Recalibrate the pace and scope of growth-related capital projects and service expansion projects that are listed in attachment 3 of the staff report to align within the capital renewal boundaries set by the Budget Committee and provide options that keep debt targets below 12% debt to service ratio for the next 10-year period.
At the time of this writing, that briefing note has not been returned to Council.
What this means for District 13:
Some noteworthy capital projects in the Draft Capital Plan for District 13 approved in principle:
- Prospect Road Community Centre - playground replacement
- Western Common - new park at Old Coach Road as part of the Community Integration Funds - Goodwood (design)
- Hacketts Cove Park - new trail (design)
- New RRFB (rectangular rapid flashing beacon) crosswalk at Hubley's Rd and St. Margaret's Bay Rd
- Second year funding for the Westwood Hills egress route
Also added to the BAL (Budget Adjustment List) is road paving for gravel roads, which would include roads in Boutilier's Point (including Toni Ave) on the list for design in 2026, and construction in 2027.