Unofficial summary · Not affiliated with the District of Squamish · 9-minute read · View in browser

Meeting: Special Business Meeting (utilities budget workshop), Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 10 a.m.
Length: About 1 hour 55 minutes in public (10:03 to 11:58 a.m.), including a 10-minute recess; council then met in a closed session, and the meeting ended at 5:15 p.m.
Watch: Full video on YouTube · Agenda and reports: District of Squamish Council portal

This is a catch-up issue on a past meeting, written as of the meeting date.

Key decisions

CARRIED · 2027 utility rates, with a smaller garbage increase
Council approved the 2027 utility rates for inclusion in an amendment to the District's fees and charges bylaw: 1.8% for water and 8.8% for wastewater, as staff recommended, and an 8.3% increase for solid waste curbside collection instead of the recommended 10.3%. The lower figure keeps the operating increase and the previously planned 5% toward future landfill debt, and holds off the additional 2%. Council voted on this separately, after first approving the service level changes and special operating projects.
Vote: carried; no one was recorded as opposed. Moved by Councillor Stoner, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Utility service level changes and special operating projects
Council approved the 2027 utility service level changes ($10,000 a year for backup power at water sites; $20,000 a year for wastewater backup power and $29,000 to operate the IR-24 lift station) and directed staff to include the utility special operating projects in the 2027–2036 financial plan: $1.8 million over 10 years, $480,000 of it in 2027.
Vote: unanimous. Moved by Councillor French, seconded by Councillor Hamilton.

CARRIED · Council legal expenses motion reconsidered
Mayor Hurford said the minutes of an earlier remuneration discussion did not capture that council had discussed legal fees, so council reconsidered that motion. The new motion directs staff to bring back a proposal to allow up to $2,000 a year in legal expenses related to council roles as an allowable expense under the existing council conference and expense budget.
Vote: unanimous. The minutes record the motion to reconsider as moved by Mayor Hurford and seconded by Councillor Pettingill, and the new motion as moved by Councillor Pettingill and seconded by Mayor Hurford. On the video, Mayor Hurford appears to move the new motion; the minutes are the official record.

Recorded votes

Votes where members of council did not all agree. Unanimous votes are not listed.

No member of council was recorded as opposed to any motion at this meeting.

What was discussed

The 2027 utility budgets

• The District runs three utilities (water, wastewater and solid waste), each funded by its own user fees on a cost-recovery basis. Utility capital projects were to be presented at the October 6 capital workshop; this meeting covered operating budgets and special operating projects only. Watch at 0:15:58
• Water: user fees of $7 million in 2027. The 1.8% increase adds about $119,000 to the yearly contribution to the water capital reserve, for a total contribution of $2.5 million in 2027; staff said customer growth covers the higher operating costs. Watch at 0:18:39
• Wastewater: user fees of $10.4 million, up $1.1 million. Of the 8.8% increase, 3.4% goes to the asset management reserve and 5.4% covers operating costs that customer growth does not; staff said reserve money used in 2026 to smooth costs is not being used in 2027. Watch at 0:20:24
• Utility special operating projects in 2027 include residual waste planning, a condition assessment of the Plateau and Thunderbird reservoirs and an inspection of the water supply trunk main. Watch at 0:29:09

Solid waste and the landfill

• Staff named three pressures: less landfill revenue as haulers take waste to the Lower Mainland, about $2.4 million a year in debt servicing for the landfill expansion from 2031, and about $1.5 million in added landfill closure costs identified in 2025, which emptied the solid waste reserve. Watch at 0:23:43
• The recommended 10.3% was 3.3% for operations and 7% to prepare for landfill debt. Staff also gave an alternative that would fund the debt only when it starts; staff said that could mean about a 35% increase in 2030. Watch at 0:26:22
• Councillor Hamilton asked why waste is going to the Lower Mainland. The integrated solid waste specialist said Squamish has some of the highest tipping fees in BC, driven by landfill infrastructure and upcoming debt, and that larger haulers serving businesses and multifamily buildings choose where to dump. Watch at 0:42:52
• Councillor Stoner asked whether lowering tipping fees could bring customers back; staff said it would need full analysis and could be looked at once 2027 data is in. Staff also said the current landfill is on track to reach capacity by the end of 2029. Watch at 0:49:15
• Councillor French asked whether tote customers should expect double-digit increases each year; staff said gradual increases would continue to about 2030 and then level off. Staff said recycling is paid for by Recycle BC, so the tote fee covers garbage and organics. Watch at 0:52:13

Debate on the garbage rate

• Councillor Stoner proposed covering operating costs and the previously agreed 5% for landfill debt, and holding off the extra 2% until a broader conversation. Mayor Hurford preferred the staff recommendation to smooth increases, with Councillor Stoner's idea as a second choice. Watch at 1:15:24
• Another councillor, not named on the video, leaned toward Councillor Stoner's approach but first wanted to understand how the size of the reserve contribution relates to the size of the increase, including a possible transfer from general taxation. Councillors French and Andersen said they preferred the staff recommendation. Councillor Hamilton said the question was how much to save given uncertainty about the project's timing and cost. Watch at 1:20:14
• The director of financial planning and reporting calculated that 8.3% instead of 10.3% means about $9 a year less for a medium tote, $5 for small and $14 for large, and just under $60,000 less to the reserve in 2027. A councillor said $9 makes a difference to households. Watch at 1:23:10
• Speaking to the motion, Councillor Pettingill supported it but said a change might be proposed on October 6 after seeing the capital plan. Councillor French supported the in-between option and encouraged sorting recyclables and organics out of garbage. Mayor Hurford said the motion strikes a fair balance. Watch at 1:35:04

Other questions

• Councillor Andersen asked why the Plateau and Thunderbird reservoir assessment had been delayed. The senior manager of infrastructure planning said the reservoirs are bored into granite with no suitable access, so an access chamber must be built first, which raised the cost. Watch at 0:33:09
• Councillor Pettingill asked about effluent revenue and testing. The manager of utilities said a new septage receiving station now meters trucked liquid waste accurately, and that the District has had no permit exceedance since about January of last year, when a valve failed during a capital project. Watch at 0:58:50
• Councillor Stoner asked about rain barrels and about bear-proofing garbage totes. Staff said the rain barrel program should return in the spring with a new supplier, and that staff are trying to get tote straps, like those used in Port Coquitlam, to test in problem areas, and are working on guidance for securing totes. Watch at 1:03:33
• Councillor Hamilton asked about compliance with the District's environmental assessment certificate for its wells. Staff said three wells are authorized and seven are in place; permitting for a planned new well at Powerhouse Springs next year will also seek to bring the existing wells into compliance. Watch at 1:13:42
• Councillor Andersen raised trucks bringing fill material from the Lower Mainland to two local pits, one on District land and one on provincial Crown land, saying no fees are collected and roads near the cemetery are damaged. Watch at 1:33:54

Council remuneration reconsideration

• Councillor Pettingill said the original vote was split four to three, so clarity was important. Staff said the remuneration bylaw was coming for three readings the following week, with adoption possibly on October 6. Watch at 1:54:48

Public input

No public delegations or public hearing speakers. Staff said residents can learn about and comment on the financial plan through Let's Talk Squamish and a public information night in November.

Following up

From earlier issues: None of the items we're tracking came up at this meeting. Still open from the September 1 and September 8 meetings: the 2027 permissive tax exemption bylaws (including the golf club), the pool building condition assessments, whether the golf club lease can be shared with residents, adoption of the Hunter Place rezoning, a review of vehicle residency enforcement, wildfire risk reduction in parks in the 2027 budget, and the short-term rental permit policy review.

New items we'll watch for:

• Landfill expansion, utility capital projects and development cost charge projections: at the October 6 capital workshop.
• Council remuneration bylaw: three readings the following week, adoption possibly October 6.
• Rain barrel program: expected back in the spring.
• Powerhouse Springs well and bringing existing wells into compliance: permitting next year.
• A possible review of landfill tipping fees: once 2027 data is available.
• Comparing each year's budget with the previous plan's forecast: staff said this could be added for the 2028–2037 plan.

What's next

• September 29: Budget workshop on the general fund operating budget, special operating projects and the library budget.
• October 6: Capital plan workshop, including utility capital and the landfill expansion.
• November 10: Workshop tying the 2027–2036 financial plan together.
• November: Public information night, followed by a "what we heard" workshop.
• December: Three readings and adoption of the fees and charges bylaw and the financial plan bylaw, after the new council is in place.

Get involved

• Let's Talk Squamish has the budget materials, FAQs and ways to comment on the 2027–2036 financial plan.
• The District's online budget book shows operating budgets, capital plans, reserves and debt.
• The November public information night is a chance to speak with council and staff about the budget, including utility rates.
• Agendas, reports and ways to contact council are on the District's council page.

Terms used

Asset management reserve funding strategy: the District's plan to build savings to replace aging infrastructure · Asset retirement obligation: the estimated future cost of closing and caring for the landfill · Ban surcharge: an extra landfill fee on garbage loads containing recyclables · Development cost charges: fees on new development that help pay for growth-related infrastructure · Reconsideration: a vote to look again at a motion council already passed · Service level changes: new or expanded ongoing services added to the base budget · Special operating projects: one-time projects with set start and end dates · Tipping fee: the fee charged to drop waste at the landfill.

Context notes

We check factual figures cited at the meeting against public sources where we can. These notes add context; they are not verdicts on any speaker.

• Landfill capacity by the end of 2029 (staff): the staff report for this meeting (Attachment 9, dated September 22, 2026) says the current landfill "reaches capacity in early 2030."
• Asset management reserve funding strategy endorsed in September 2023 (staff): a District news release of October 26, 2023 describes increased reserve contributions for water (1.8%) and wastewater (3.4%) as recommended in the 2022 Asset Management Plan. We could not find a public source giving the date council endorsed the strategy.
• Context notes on candidates' statements are paused during the election period.

Council Watch Squamish is an independent, unofficial summary of publicly accessible meetings of the Squamish Council. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the District of Squamish. This summary was generated by AI from an automatic transcript and may contain errors. Watch the linked video for the official record.

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