Bowen Island Municipality has drafted a new Local Area Service (LAS) Funding Policy and is inviting community feedback before it is finalized. The draft policy was presented at the Regular Council Meeting held on Monday, September 8, 2025.
What are Local Area Services (LAS)?
LAS are services, like water or sewer systems, provided to specific areas of the island. Typically, the properties that benefit from these services are responsible for their costs.
Why do we need this policy?
Over the years, Bowen Island has built and maintained several water systems as well as the Snug Cove Sewer System. Most of these have been funded directly by the property owners who use them. However, some projects required additional funding from the General Fund. Examples of this include:
- Cove Bay Water System (2020): $1.1M borrowed from the Land Opportunity Reserve Fund, will be repaid in full over 10 years through a parcel tax.
- Bluewater Park (2024): $400,000 approved use of Growing Community Funds will be repaid in full by transferring $40,000 per year for 10 years from the Bluewater Park reserves to the general fund.
- Snug Cove Sewer: $1.8M upgrade in 2022 paid for by using Capital Renewal and Reserve funds. $762,120 is being repaid over seven years through an annual transfer of $111,357 from the sewer fund to the general fund.
What does the policy say?
The policy aims to:
- Make LAS funding transparent, fair, and sustainable.
- Ensure only the benefiting property owners pay for LAS projects.
- Set clear rules for the use of General Funds, including the requirement to establish repayment terms.
- Require long-term financial planning for each LAS, including maintenance, upgrades, and debt repayment.
- Include LAS in the Municipality’s asset management and five-year financial plans.
How does this affect me?
This policy will provide greater certainty for both participating and non-participating residents by clarifying how LSA projects are funded, how decisions are made, and how costs are shared.
How can I participate?
- Review the draft policy.
- Submit your feedback by October 17, 2025
- Send your feedback by email to feedback@bimbc.ca. Please use Local Area Services Policy as the subject line.
What happens next?
After the consultation period, all feedback will be reviewed and summarized for Council consideration.