Rocky View County Council Approves 2024 Master Rates
Thursday, March 28, 2024
March 27, 2024 – Rocky View County Council has approved the 2024 Master Rates Bylaw that outlines the fees the County charges for services. The new fee schedule comes into effect on May 1, 2024.
All County fees are reviewed annually as part of the budget process, as referenced in the 2024 Operating and Capital Base Budget, approved at the November 15, 2023 Special Council meeting, and adjusted as needed to recover costs or allow for updated or new services. The County conducts a thorough review annually of any changes needed to fees. Rate adjustments for 2024 were carefully considered and only applied where there have been minor adjustments to service delivery costs or as a result of inflationary increases.
"I believe the minimal rate adjustments for 2024, and the approved bylaw will allow us to maintain the most effective and efficient municipal services for our residents, while upholding financial responsibility," says Rocky View County Reeve Crystal Kissel.
In approving the 2024 Master Rates Bylaw, Council included an amendment to maintain the current 2023 water and wastewater utility rates within the bylaw until further review at an upcoming Council meeting. This will provide an additional opportunity for Council to consider options intended to transition rates to a full cost recovery model for these services, as well as the potential impacts.
Within the approved 2024 Master Rates Bylaw, some updates include:
- Adjustment in the conceptual scheme fee from a flat fee to tiered fee to clarify and restructure for better fee management.
- Small updates to existing self-haul garbage/recycling fees to reflect the goal of full cost recovery for services.
- Adjusted fees within the Cemeteries category as per the Cemetery Master Plan, as well as to work towards full cost recovery.
- The addition of appeal fees required under two provincial acts: $100 for appeals under the Agricultural Pest Act and $500 for appeals under the Weed Control Act. As these fees are provincially required, they have been included to provide transparency and better understanding for residents.
- A new fee related to surveyor costs for arranging land transfers and sales agreements for closed road allowances in order to streamline the process for applicants.
Under the Municipal Government Act, the fees and charges within the Master Rates Bylaw are collected by local governments to cover the cost of the services provided, such as waste collection, water supply, and maintenance of public spaces.
Once finalized, the complete 2024 Master Rates Bylaw and fee schedule will be available on the County website. The 2024 Master Rates presentation made during the March 26 Council Meeting can be viewed on the County's Meetings and Hearings webpage.
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