Photo: District of Peachland

Peachland Finance director Garry Filafilo speaking to council

Owners of a typical Peachland property will pay $308.80 more in taxes in 2025.

BC Assessment calculates a typical Peachland home to be worth $887,000, finance director Garry Filafilo said to Peachland council on Tuesday. Total property taxes for the typical home will be $4,675.33 — a 7.07 per cent increase over 2024.

Council gave three readings to its final budget with the tax increases on Tuesday. Final approval will be given at a special meeting next week.

The budget includes $16 million worth of capital projects, Filafilo said, but government grants and reserve funds will pay for those.

Key projects include park improvements, a pressure-reducing station, dock pilings and boat launch works, trail building, water meters and a new child care centre, now under construction.

“Federal and provincial active transportation grants are funding a significant portion of the $1.7 million for the active transportation network — the Westside trail,” Filafilo said. “Provincial Child Care New Spaces grant is funding $12 million for the child care centre.”

“The provincial child care grant and the provincial active transportation grants are a direct result of council’s efforts to meet with provincial leaders and lobby for funds,” the finance boss said.

“The number of grants that we’ve received has increased from three to nine to 23 over the past three years. This is the result of council’s efforts, plus our grant writer [communications coordinator Kirsten Jones]. I’d like to ask council to continue that because it allows us do a lot of different things and great things for the community.”

Documents noted provincial and federal grants of $13,900,000 have been received."

Peachland will not be immune from tariffs, however.

The budget includes $42,000 for a new parks mower, but with tariffs, the cost has jumped by $25,000, he said.

“We’re going to be affected by the tariffs. We don’t buy a lot direct from the U.S., but a lot of our suppliers get their products from the U.S. For example, this mower was coming from the U.S.

“We have to look at another plan.”

The budget breakdown shows the typical homeowner will pay $2,523.96 in general, police and transit taxes, $479.75 in parcel taxes and $1,671.62 to other levels of government.

General, police and transit taxes are rising by 6.08 per cent, or $144.68 for that typical home.

Parcel taxes go up 26.69 per cent, or $101.08. That’s mostly due to a $100 rise in the protective services building parcel tax from $50 to $150. Peachlanders approved borrowing money to build a new fire hall in a 2022 referendum. The project hasn’t begun.

Taxes for other jurisdictions, including schools, the library system and regional district are going up 3.92 per cent, or $63.04.