Looking to get caught up on the latest from Council? We’ve pulled together some key stories from the November 18 and December 2, 2025 Committee of the Whole and Regular Council meetings, including:      

• Council gets first look at the 2026 draft projects budget  

• Whistler Fire Rescue Service to donate used fire trick to Birken 

• Council approves new street parking rates  

For all the details, find council reports and video recordings of the full meetings at  whistler.ca.  

Council gets first look at 2026 draft projects budget  

At the November 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, Whistler Council got its first official look at the 2026 draft projects budget.  

Funding current and future infrastructural needs and long-term asset investment, the proposed 2026 project budget totals roughly $50 million. This includes a recommended:  

• $23.1 million for utilities  

• $6.3 million for projects funded by hotel taxes, including Municipal and Regional District Tax and Resort Municipality Initiative revenues 

• $20 million in General Fund projects 

Click here to view the full report. The 2026 draft operating budget was presented at the November 4 Committee of the Whole meeting. Council weighed in with input at the December 2 Council meeting.   

Learn more about the 2026 budget here, and the overall budget process here.   

Council approves donation of aging fire truck to Birken community 

The outlying communities of Birken and Gates Lake are set to receive a fire truck on behalf of the Whistler Fire Rescue Service (WFRS). 

After more than 28 years of local service, Council approved the donation of the Spartan Rescue Pumper V145 at the November 18 meeting.  

Whistler purchased a replacement in June after it was noted the 1997 fire truck no longer met evolving insurance ratings. However, given its large water tank and four-wheel drive, the WFRS felt the truck would make a suitable donation to the volunteer Birken Fire Protection Service rather than auctioning it off or selling it for scrap metal.  

“This is a really good thing for relationship building in our region,” said Mayor Jack Crompton. “I’m excited to see it and I know members of the [Squamish-Lillooet Regional District] board are going to be extremely excited to see this come aboard. It’s a significantly improved posture for their fire department.”  

Council approves street parking fee changes  

Council reviewed plans to increase street pay parking rates fees at the November 18 meeting. 

The rates would apply to hourly, daily and monthly parking fee rates in municipal street and parks parking lots, intended to ensure there is sufficient parking for customers and visitors, while also encouraging people, when possible, to carpool, take transit, bike and/or walk over occupying a single-passenger vehicle. Vehicle emissions remain the single largest contributor to Whistler’s greenhouse gas output. The rates would not apply to the Day Lots.  

In 2024, total revenue from street and parks pay parking lots totaled $1,577,567. Projected parking revenue is $1,617,961 for 2025 and $1,787,841 for 2026.  

Also proposed was a new towing/impound fee: a flat daily rate of $160. Staff also proposed increasing commercial parking tags from $40 to $50 per vehicle. 

Click here to see all the new rates, which would go into effect on January 19, 2026.  

Council considers Works and Services development charges 

At the December 2 Regular meeting, Council gave first three readings of a bylaw aimed at implementing Works and Services charges that will ensure new development contributes equitably to Whistler’s future growth and infrastructure costs.  

Based on ongoing internal work and feedback from the community and development industry, staff returned December 2 with several proposed refinements to the bylaw. Highlights of the new bylaw include:  

• Consolidating all five current Works and Services bylaws into a single bylaw; 

• Adding new charges that will help fund local transit and parks infrastructure;  

• Shifting from fixed per-parcel rates to charges based on a development’s size;  

• Including employee housing charges for all new construction types (the charges wouldn’t apply to new employee housing development);  

• Simplifying charges, clarifying the definition of “new development.” 

• Click here to view the full report.  

Staff proposes new solid waste tipping fees  

At the December 2 Regular meeting, Council gave first three readings of a Solid Waste amendment bylaw that would introduce new tipping fees at Whistler’s Waste Transfer Station.  

Tipping fees are updated periodically at the Callaghan facility to incentivize waste diversion from the landfill and ensure fees offset the cost of managing recyclables and other residual waste. Updated rates help to ensure waste generators pay the full cost of disposal and that taxpayers don’t subsidize the service.  

The proposed tipping fees in Table 1 were influenced by the disposal and operational costs of managing solid waste.  

The proposed fees in Table 2 align with landfill rates set by the District of Squamish.  

Click here to read the full report.  

To attend an upcoming meeting, check out the Council meeting Schedule. Agendas and Minutes are available online. To connect with Council, consider Borrowing a Councillor from the Library’s Unusual Items Collection, or get in touch with them individually by phone or email.