Local government development financing

New development often creates demand for new or expanded infrastructure and services from municipalities and regional districts. To address this demand, local governments have a range of financing tools available to acquire and construct new capital assets.

Development cost charges

Municipalities and regional districts levy development cost charges on new development to pay for new or expanded infrastructure such as sewer, water, drainage, parks and roads necessary to adequately service the demands of that new development.​

• Development Cost Charges

Latecomer agreements

Latecomer agreements are development finance agreements between municipalities or regional districts and land or property developers. These agreements specify off-site infrastructure necessary for development to proceed.

Latecomer agreements also set the terms by which developers can recover costs for excess capacity beyond what is required for the initial development.

• Local Government Latecomer Agreements

Asset management for sustainable service delivery

Municipalities and regional districts are responsible for managing community infrastructure assets over the asset lifecycle. This ensures that community service needs are met and that services are delivered in a socially, economically and environmentally responsible manner.​​

• Local Government Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery

Parkland acquisition fees

In addition to revenue from other charges and property taxation, local governments can finance parkland acquisition using: development cost charges; contribution, or dedication, of parkland; and cash-in-lieu upon subdivision.​

• Local Government Parkland Acquisition Fees

Subdividing land

Landowners and developers must make an application to the approving authority to subdivide land.

• Subdividing Land

Subdivision servicing bylaws

Regional districts and municipalities may establish a subdivision servicing bylaw that regulates and sets out the requirements for the provision of works and services that are needed as part of the subdivision of land.

• Subdivision Servicing Bylaws

Municipal development works agreements

A development works agreement is an agreement, made by bylaw, between a municipality and a developer setting out which of them will provide, construct, alter or expand infrastructure related to a development.​

• Municipal Development Works Agreements

Grants & transfers

Local governments may receive funding from several sources, including the B.C. government and the Government of Canada.

Grants and other monetary transfers to local governments are either conditional or unconditional. Conditional grants are designated for a specific purpose and may not be used for another project, while unconditional grants may be used for any purpose the recipient local government sees fit.

• Local Government Grants & Transfers