The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is hosting its annual budget community meeting on February 22, and residents are invited to listen to presentations, ask questions, and discuss proposed initiatives with staff and Council.
Strong fiscal management remains as a foundation of RMOW’s budget process. This year’s budget recognizes the success and challenges over the past year and a keen awareness of the cyclical nature of our economy. The budget is developed to manage current demands but is also focused on the longer term strategy and vision for the resort. To learn more, visit www.whistler.ca/budget
Budget Community Meeting Schedule
- Thursday, February 22, 4 to 7 p.m. (Presentations at 5 p.m.)
- Maury Young Arts Centre (formerly Millennium Place), 4335 Blackcomb Way
- 4 to 5 p.m. Gallery walk (displays and discussion)
- 5 to 5:45 p.m. Presentations and remarks
- 5:45 to 7 p.m. Gallery walk (displays and discussion)
“The 2018 budget community meeting is a great chance to learn about factors affecting the municipality’s Corporate Plan and current budget, key projects and initiatives, and ongoing operations funded by your tax dollars,” said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. “I’d like to remind everyone that planning by the municipality takes place year-round and is informed by long-range plans. We receive feedback throughout the year through program surveys, data monitoring, recommendations from committees of council, and other open houses and community forums.”
Following the 2018 budget community meeting, there will be further refinements of the proposed project and operating budgets, and budget guidelines will be developed by staff to be presented at March and April regular council meetings. The Five-Year Financial Plan Bylaw is tentatively scheduled for first three readings by Council on April 10 and adoption on April 24, and the Tax Rate Bylaws are tentatively scheduled for first three readings by Council on April 24.
The RMOW annual budget helps to inform the annual corporate plan, both of which are guided by the overall community vision and Official Community Plan (OCP). Since 2007, RMOW budgets and annual plans have been guided by the vision to become the premier mountain resort community as we move towards sustainability. To ensure progress towards this vision, there are established key performance indicators on a wide variety of social, environmental, and economic factors. To learn more, visit www.whistler.ca/monitoring
The process to update Whistler’s community vision and OCP is in development now, and details about how residents can get involved will be announced soon.
Community Feedback
There are many other ways to stay involved in the community planning processes:
- Find 2018 budget information and updates at whistler.ca/budget
- Contact members of Council at whistler.ca/contact
- Attend council meetings or watch council meetings online at whistler.ca/council
- Stay in touch on Facebook or Twitter
- Sign up for news from the municipality at whistler.ca/subscribe