RMOW 2013 Budget Process
During 2012, council committed to revitalizing the annual financial planning process. Find information here about the Resort Municipality of Whistler 2013 Budget.
2013 budget adopted
Next steps
2013 budget timeline
Community engagement
Budget presentations and materials
Budget videos
Annual planning process
Five-Year Financial Plan
2013 budget context
How are we doing?
Budget news
Reference
2013 budget adopted March 19, 2013
The 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw was adopted by council on March 19, 2013. The Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw sets out the proposed revenues, expenditures and transfers of the RMOW for the next five years.
The 2013 budget includes no increases to municipal property taxes or utility fees for second year in a row.
Despite the pressure of cost increases in certain areas (e.g. for RCMP, transit, and labour), a number of factors have enabled the RMOW to deliver a “zero and zero” budget—one without municipal property tax or utility fee increases:
- Municipal departments began developing their 2013 budgets without a base budget, and worked hard to trim costs and find efficiencies across the organization
- The RMOW continues to realize cost savings from the 2011-2012 organizational review
- The RMOW anticipates modest increases in Additional Hotel Room Tax revenue from the Province and property taxes from new construction in 2013.
The 2013 budget includes service level increases in several areas:
- Parks operations
- Snow clearing
- Village maintenance
- Library services (including the re-opening of the library on Sundays)
Other areas of focus for the 2013 budget are:
- Continuing to provide a high level of service to community members and visitors
- Investing in and maintaining resort infrastructure
- Contributing to municipal reserves
Next steps
Adoption of the property tax bylaw will take place before May 15, 2013, and property tax statements are mailed at the end of May.
Property taxes are due July 2, 2013.
2013 budget timeline
December 6, 2012 - 2013 Budget Community Open House - Presentations, display materials for review, small table discussions, Q&A
January 29, 2013 - Committee of the Whole meeting - Draft project and operating budgets and options based on community feedback to be discussed
February 19, 2013 - 2013 Budget Information Open House - Summaries of proposed projects and key budget changes to be presented; Q&A
February 19, 2013 - Regular council meeting - Summaries of proposed projects and key budget changes to be presented to council
March 5, 2013 - Regular council meeting - Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw presented to council; Council gave first three readings to bylaw.
March 19, 2013 - Regular council meeting - Council adopted Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw.
Council meeting agendas and packages can be found at: whistler.ca/council.
Community engagement
Several opportunities for community input and engagement were provided during the 2013 RMOW budget process, including:
- A budget open house on December 6, 2012;
- A survey and opportunities for discussion online on PlaceSpeak.com
- A Committee of the Whole presentation to council on January 29, 2013
- A budget information open house on February 19, 2013.
In addition, feedback was provided to staff and the Finance and Audit Committee by email (budget@whistler.ca).
Budget presentations and materials
REPORT TO COUNCIL - March 5, 2013
Staff presented the 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw at the regular council meeting on March 5, 2013, and council provided first three readings to the bylaw.
The budget bylaw was then adopted at the regular council meeting on March 19, 2013.
BUDGET OPEN HOUSE #2 - February 19, 2013
An information open house took place on February 19, 2013 prior to the regular council meeting. This was an opportunity for community members to review the proposed budget including draft project and operating budgets, and to ask questions.
- Download the open house display materials
REPORT TO COUNCIL - February 19, 2013
During the regular council meeting, staff presented budget guidelines for the RMOW 2013 budget.
Council directed staff to prepare the 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw based on the following guidelines:
- No increases to municipal property tax and utility fees in 2013;
- Planning for similar service levels in 2013, as in 2012;
- Including service level recommendations and project amounts included in the council report.
Service level increases were recommended for:
- Village maintenance
- Parks sanitation and park operations (particularly, maintenance of Whistler Olympic Plaza, due to its increased use)
- Snow clearing
- Irrigation, turf, and horticultural services
- Creation of a GIS position
- The Whistler Public Library (including re-opening the library on Sundays)
- Funding to the Community Enrichment Program
For more information:
- Download the February 19 report to council
- Watch the February 19 presentation to council online
- Download the proposed 2013-2017 projects list
- Download the proposed 2013 departmental operating budgets
- Download the 2012 third quarter financial report
The Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw is scheduled to be brought forward for council consideration at the March 5 council meeting, and is tentatively scheduled for adoption on March 19.
PRESENTATION TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - January 29, 2013
The preliminary budget was presented at the Committee of the Whole meeting. The “zero and zero” budget proposes no increases to municipal property taxes and no increases to municipal utilities fees for the second year in a row. Read more.
- Watch the presentation of the Committee of the Whole meeting online.
- Download the proposed 2013-2017 project descriptions.
BUDGET OPEN HOUSE #1 - December 6, 2012
A 2013 Budget Open House took place on December 6, 2012 and included three presentations.
- Download the open house display materials
- Download the Economic Partnership Initiative Committee presentation by RMOW Chief Administrative Officer Mike Furey
- Download the Economic Partnership Initiative Committee presentation by Tourism Whistler Director and Chief Executive Officer Barratt Fisher
- Download the Resort Municipality of Whistler - 2013 budget presentation by RMOW Director of Finance Ken Roggeman
Budget videos
Watch videos from the December 6, 2012 Budget Open House:
Part One: Introduction and mayor's address
Part Two: Budget presentation - RMOW Finance
Part Three: Budget presentation - Economic Partnership Initiative Committee
Annual planning process
The budget planning process is a part of a larger corporate planning cycle, which includes regular opportunities to receive information and provide feedback. This process includes:
Click here to download the diagram.
Five-Year Financial Plan
Each year council reviews the priorities and goals for the upcoming year and directs staff to prepare a comprehensive Five-Year Financial Plan, as required by the Community Charter.
The Five-Year Financial Plan reflects the RMOW’s continuing efforts to provide quality of service in daily operations and local governance consistent with the priorities and strategies identified in Whistler2020, the community's comprehensive sustainability plan and the RMOW Corporate Plan.
Click here to find RMOW Five-Year Financial Plans.
2013 budget context
Council identified fiscal responsibility as one of the key priorities in the 2012-2014 Council Action Plan and committed to revitalizing the annual financial planning process.
In 2012, RMOW delivered, as promised, a “zero and zero” budget: a budget with no increase to municipal property taxes, utilities and user fees.
The RMOW began producing quarterly reports to enhance transparency and accountability in financial reporting.
The 2012-2014 RMOW Corporate Plan was developed as one of the key deliverables in Council’s 2012-2014 Action Plan to increase accountability and transparency with community members. Along with the Five-Year Financial plan, the corporate plan will help to position the organization to continue to deliver excellence in municipal services, to manage the municipal budget effectively within current economic constraints, and to position the resort for continued success.
The Finance and Audit standing committee, which meets regularly, played an integral role in the development of the 2012 budget and continues to play a central role in the 2013 budget process.
New committees of council were established to better financial planning and fiscal responsibility, including the use of provincial Resort Municipality Initiative (RMI) funding:
2012 Community Life Survey results indicated that residents are satisfied with the RMOW’s provision of municipal services, current budget allocations, and opportunities to provide input into community decision-making.
The RMOW secured $6.35 million in RMI funding for 2012, and signed a new five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Province for RMI funding in September 2012. This MOU will assist with better forecasting and financial planning for projects dependent on RMI funds, including the Festivals, Events and Animation program.
Council approved $1.2M for advanced 2013 FE&A planning to better leverage 2013 events.
The RMOW’s organizational review process resulted in staff reductions and annual savings to the organization. In addition to this, the RMOW is continually reviewing costs as well as energy efficiency.
RMOW is currently reviewing fees and charges for recreation programs and facilities. These may be adjusted. This is supported by the results of the 2012 Community Life Survey, in which 76 per cent of second homeowners and 57 per cent of permanent residents indicated a preference for increasing user fees and decreasing property taxes (rather than the reverse).
How are we doing?
The 2012 Community Life Tracking Survey included 500 interviews by phone and an online survey completed by 191 people. The following are some of the survey highlights:
Proportion of community members satisfied with opportunities to provide input to community decision making:
- More than six-in-ten permanent residents (62%). Increase in 2012.
- More than half of all second homeowners (53%). Increase in 2012
Preferred approach to revenue generation in Whistler:
2012 is the first year that this question has been asked.
- More than half of all permanent residents (57%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
- Three-quarters of all second homeowners (76%) would prefer the reduction of property tax and increase user fees.
Budget news
Whistler council gives first three readings to 2013-2017 Five-Year Financial Plan bylaw - March 6, 2013
Preliminary RMOW budget presented; Council considers "zero and zero" budget for 2013 - January 13, 2013
Resort Municipality of Whistler launched Budget 2013 page on PlaceSpeak.com; Online platform for community members to discuss budget issues and provide input - December 18, 2012
Resort Municipality of Whistler 2013 Budget Open House December 6; First of several opportunities for community members to get involved November 27, 2012
Reference
Financial reports
Corporate plans
Budget and tax information
- Watch a video of the 2012 Budget Open House: Mayor's remarks
- Watch a video of the 2012 Budget Open House: Financial priorities
- 2012 RMOW Budget Basics pamphlet
- Property tax information
Community monitoring and reporting
