City of Prince George calling for input on funding stormwater management

The City of Prince George is calling for feedback to determine how stormwater management will be funded in the Northern Capital.

The City is looking to create a dedicated stormwater management fund, and is seeking input on how it could work through an online survey.

The survey allows residents to choose from four options for funding stormwater management programs:

1. A dedicated tax levy. According to the City, this is the simplest and least expensive option to implement.
2. A tiered flat rate. Based on the type of property (residential, business, etc.) and tiered by property size, a flat fee would be charged on residents’ utility bills. This ensures the amount paid matches the stormwater contribution from each property.
3. Equivalent Residential Unit – Zoning Maximums. This option uses the zoning of a property to develop a formula that determines its contribution to the stormwater system. It calculates the allowed hard surface area based on the zoning’s maximum site coverage.
4. Equivalent Residential Unit – Statistical Sampling. This option uses a statistical sampling of the measured hard surface area for all types of residential properties to determine the average ERU size, which becomes the base billing unit.

The survey will remain open until June 28th, 2024.

There is currently no dedicated funding source for the maintenance and renewal of the City’s stormwater system.

During the 2024 budget consultation, Prince George residents identified stormwater drainage as a top three infrastructure priority.