Vancouver 2015-2018 Capital Plan proposes major investments
DH Vancouver StaffJul 08, 2014 9:15 pm
The City of Vancouver’s draft 2015-2018 Capital Plan, which will be presented to Council on July 9, identifies $1.08 billion of capital investment priorities for the City for the next four years with a focus on affordable housing, childcare, and transportation.
Highlights from the draft plan:
The addition of 2,550 non-market housing units
1,000 new childcare spaces
The addition of three new parks for Downtown South, Marpole, and East Fraser Lands
A variety of transportation investments that will prioritizes the safe, comfortable, and efficient movement of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and trucks/train
Renewing existing infrastructure
$730 million, or two-thirds of the 2015-2018 Capital Plan, invests in the renewal of existing city infrastructure, including:
Britannia Community Centre
Fire Hall #17 at Knight and 54th Avenue
60 km of sewer separation
10 km of sidewalks
Sport fields
Sport courts
Guided by the 2015-2024 Capital Strategic Outlook, the main goal of the capital planning process is to develop a capital investment plan which balances the needs to:
Maintain infrastructure and facilities in an appropriate state of good repair
Optimize the network of public amenities to best serve residents and businesses
Advance Council and community priorities within the City’s long-term financial capacity
The recommended $1.08 billion plan includes the following investment proposals:
Affordable housing: $125 million
Childcare: $30 million
Parks, open spaces, and recreation: $125 million
Libraries, social, and cultural facilities: $40 million
Transportation: $150 million
Utilities and public works: $325 million
City facilities, including public safety facilities: $15 million
Facility maintenance and renovations: $65 million
Equipment and technology: $115 million
Emerging priorities and inflation contingency: $95 million
Based on the City’s capital spending rate of $250 million – $270 million per year, the 2015-2018 Capital Plan will be funded from:
$400 million debenture borrowing
$155 million pay-as-you-go (including $90 million capital from revenue)
$530 million of other funding from the City (e.g. reserves)
Other orders of government and community partners
The Capital Plan and its corresponding annual budget is then combined with the operating budget, which sets the spending targets for the day-to-day operations of the City, to form the overall budget for the City which is presented to Council in December.
