The Regional District of Central Okanagan Board has approved its 2021-2025 financial plan.
The 2021 RDCO budget totals just over $56.8 million compared to $57 million in 2020.
“This year’s budget is fiscally conservative and considers the realities of COVID-19,” said Gail Given, the RDCO’s board chair.
“It addresses the pandemic challenges we’re still facing but also advances projects based on the board’s priority areas. These include environment, economic development, sustainable communities, transportation and mobility. Operation costs are keeping pace with growth and inflation in the central Okanagan and include some minor staffing increases.”
According to the RDCO, the district received a provincial COVID-19 relief grant of more than $1.1 million and just over $480,000 of that was used to offset costs incurred for the response, recovery and lost revenues due to the pandemic.
In this budget an estimated $18.7 million in important capital and infrastructure improvements are proposed, including approximately:
- $10.7 million for regional parks
- $4.5 million for liquid waste systems
- $1.15 million for new equipment and supplies for the regional emergency program and RDCO fire departments