Vancouver plans $790M borrowing plebiscite for community centres, infrastructure | Daily Hive

$790-million borrowing plebiscite for Vancouver community centres and infrastructure planned for October civic election

2022 concept for the outdoor pool at the new Marpole Community Centre in Vancouver’s Oak Park. (Diamond Schmitt Architects/City of Vancouver)

Vancouver City Council is set to consider a new four-year capital plan that would direct about $3.5 billion into renewing and upgrading the City of Vancouver’s aging facilities and infrastructure between 2027 and 2030. Another $100 million would be achieved in-kind by developers.

This is up from the $3.3 billion allocated in the previous 2023-2026 capital plan.

A major driver of the spending is Vancouver’s growing infrastructure renewal backlog. City staff estimate the annual infrastructure funding gap is now about $500 million, reflecting decades of underinvestment. To keep this infrastructure in good condition, the City should be spending about $800 million per year, but the amount generated by the property tax and utility fees for such expenses is about $300 million.

The report also points to last year’s findings from the City’s Auditor General that 72 per cent of Vancouver’s recreation facilities are in poor or very poor condition.

To help address this, City Council has already approved increasing debt financing and the dedicated annual infrastructure levy portion of the property tax from one per cent to two per cent, which is expected to create more than $250 million in additional funding capacity over the 2027–2030 period. City staff say the higher levy would reduce the estimated timeline to bring assets to a state of good repair from about 40 years to 20 years.

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Among the largest investments is $400 million for the large-scale upgrade or redevelopment of five aging community centres, with the capital plan specifying Dunbar Community Centre, Kerrisdale Community Centre, Roundhouse Community Centre, Kensington Community Centre, and Hastings Community Centre.

Two new outdoor pools would also be built as an expansion of community centres, specifically Sunset Community Centre and the new Marpole Community Centre, which is set to reach completion and open this year. Due to rising costs that exceeded the budget, the outdoor pool component at the Marpole facility was previously deferred in 2022 as a future phase, but under the new capital plan, it would now proceed.

The plan also includes funding for planning and design work for the future renewal of Britannia Community Centre, including its pool, as well as planning for the new replacement Kitsilano Outdoor Pool and a new 50-metre Olympic-sized, competition pool somewhere in the city, which would fill the void left by controversially redeveloping Vancouver Aquatic Centre with a 25-metre main pool.

This largely aligns with the community and recreational facility priorities Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC Vancouver councillors directed City staff to incorporate in the capital plan — something non-ABC Park Board commissioners have taken issue with.

This past spring, the Park Board asked City Council to incorporate $1.4 billion worth of parks and recreation spending into the 2027-2030 capital plan. The actual capital plan for consideration incorporates $739 million, or half, but it represents an increase from the $550 million allocated for the Park Board’s capital projects in the 2023-2026 capital plan. City Council has the final budgetary authority over the Park Board’s major capital projects and four-year capital plan.

“While we’re disappointed that the proposed funding falls well short of what the Park Board determined is necessary, it is nevertheless a significant increase over the current Capital Plan and demonstrates that persistent advocacy works,” said Green Park Board commissioner Tom Digby in a statement today.

In the capital plan, City staff state that while there is a pressing need to accelerate the renewal of aging facilities and infrastructure, this must be done in a balanced and cost-effective way — particularly amid economic challenges, rising costs, consideration for the full range of municipal priorities, and reduced capital funding capacity from the provincial and federal governments due to their own deficit and debt pressures.

Other major initiatives include the rehabilitation of the Granville Street Bridge and Cambie Street Bridge, the renewal of 134 km of roads and 30 km of sidewalks, 20 km of new or improved active transportation routes, a new synthetic turf field at Beaconsfield Park, major retrofits to the Firehall Arts Centre, and a new modernized Fire Hall No. 2. in the Downtown Eastside, which is considered the busiest fire station in Canada due to its challenging location.

The capital plan also contemplates the renewal of 40 km of water mains and 32 km of sewer mains, 57 acres of green infrastructure renewal or upgrades, new and upgraded park amenities, seismic improvements to civic buildings, public electric vehicle charging hubs, and upgrades to digital services and core technology systems.

Funding for the capital plan would come from a mix of sources, with 73 per cent from direct City contributions, 21 per cent from development contributions, and six per cent from partner funding, such as the federal and provincial governments.

However, development-related revenues are expected to be lower over the next four years because of the slowdown in the real estate and development market.

While the City has the legal authority to borrow money for water, sewer, and energy utility systems without asking voters, it needs to seek permission from the electorate for other types of capital investments.

Vancouver voters would also be asked to approve $790 million in borrowing through three plebiscite questions on the October 2026 civic election ballot. This includes $292 million for transportation and street infrastructure ($154 million for bridges and structures, $92 million for roads and sidewalks, and $46 million for street lighting and traffic signals), $438 million for community-serving and essential facilities ($338 million for community and recreational facilities, cultural facilities, and libraries), and $60 million for parks, open public spaces, sports courts, playing fields, playgrounds, and the seawall.

Borrowing $790 million would be supplemented by other revenue sources to cover the full cost of such projects.

Vancouver voters have been facing such capital plan borrowing plebiscite questions each civic election cycle.

In the 2022 civic election, voters approved the plebiscite questions providing the City with the permission to borrow $495 million to fund a portion of the 2023-2026 capital plan, including $173 million for transportation and technology (116,591 yes votes; 32,964 no votes), $160 million for parks, civic and public safety facilities, climate mitigation, and other priorities (114,254 yes votes; 35,582 no votes), and $162 million for community and recreational facilities (101,715 yes votes; 47,163 no votes), including $103 million specifically towards the new replacement Vancouver Aquatic Centre.

While the civic election ballot made no mention of building a 50-metre pool for Vancouver Aquatic Centre, supporting background information and the Park Board’s long-term plans for renewing aquatic facilities specified a renewal of this aquatic centre in Downtown Vancouver would feature a 50-metre pool. In early 2025, the Park Board’s revelation that a 25-metre pool was planned for the redevelopment sparked immense backlash among major swim clubs and other pool users, with a legal challenge on that decision still going through the court process.

After more than half a century of operation, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre permanently closed on June 28 to allow site preparation and demolition work to begin for its redevelopment. The City has $103 million in borrowed funding approved by voters through the 2022 civic election plebiscite, covering most of the $175-million project cost. However, to retain access to these funds, it is legally required to award the contract and begin major construction before the end of 2026.

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