District of West Vancouver is planning to charge 1 per cent climate levy for its proposed 2020 budget.
This new tax would fund projects that move the district to a more energy-efficient and less resource-intensive future, said Mayor Mary-Ann Booth.
“When you are committed to ensuring your capital spending decisions are sustainable and support our target to reduce GHG emissions, there is often a higher up-front cost,” Booth said.
The 1 per cent climate levy translates to an average of $41 for each home. District estimates the levy will pull in $738,000 every year.
In July 2019, council passed a resolution declaring that climate change constitutes an emergency, and adapted climate change goals to meet more aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
The Community and Corporate Emissions Plans include more than 50 actions the district needs to implement to reduce greenhouse gases.
The climate levy will be used towards making changes such as more energy-efficient windows, fleet electrification and mechanical upgrades at the Municipal Hall to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through improved building envelope.
Staff are also proposing an operational levy increase of 4.67 per cent, an asset levy increase of 0.50 per cent along with a climate response levy of 1 per cent.
Combined, it amounts to an extra $296 for the average single-family detached home assessed at $3.35 million.
In a response to a citizen’s query about the need for such a levy, the district said it had a responsibility to address environmental challenges to protect the community’s resources such as trees, the foreshore, wildlife and streams.
“Projects that the district are engaged in or would like to do include tree canopy studies, storm water and foreshore management projects, wildfire protection and stream rehabilitation,” the district said.
Complete BS. This is just another tax grab from the greedy pigs at West Vancouver City Hall – employees, staff, and mayor and council. I am guessing that their assistants and secretaries “need” more assistants.
What have any of West Vancouver City Hall’s lazy occupiers EVER done for the citizens of West Vancouver that hasn’t been for a profit or money? They are just overpaid bums.
Climate changers — get me evidence of one change of nature these people imagine -will they stop snow in the winter there is a big saving here— show me the results of these —follow the path of the “scientists” and one magic moment-what do these people drink eat—are they all Democrats and liberals
Why are the current taxes going more into infrastructure than salaries? How will we provide a solution to climate change with some $750,000? I am some what surprised to see council continuing to ask for more of our dollars? As if the Provincial Government isn’t stealing our after tax dollars with the extra school taxes going into general revenue, now we have our own council digging deeper into our pockets. If our municipality was growing as fast Surrey then our taxes would be expected to rise. I do not see us building new schools in West Vancouver. We need to be maintaining those structures we own and not paying this insignificant climate change amount. Fix what we already know needs our attention.
I have to say this is just another example of out of touch politicians who believe that taxpayers are a bottomless pit to fund the salaries and benefits ( significantly higher than private enterprise) of government workers and to fund their pet projects.
West Vancouver municipal politicians are just virtue signalling on climate change at the tax payers expense. What West Van does or does not do will make not one iota of a difference to global greenhouse gas emissions- if we stopped all greenhouse gas emissions in West Vancouver for a whole year it would likely account for a few hours of China’s emissions.
All I can say “remember this at selection day and VOTE!!!”
This is what you call Globalism. Google “Agenda 21”.
People who have lived here for generations, and businesses that have been here for decades, are all being forced out – look around people. Excessive taxes are making it impossible to stay in business, own a home, have a family, get ahead.
CO2 is NOT a pollutant. It is a beneficial gas. You’ve been lied to.
And ask yourself – if there really is a big climate emergency, why are all the left wing celebs and politicians flying private jets to and fro and building 30,000 square foot mansions – on the waterfront – and buying so many things from one of the real polluters -China – to fill their homes and wardrobes?
Meanwhile, you can’t even let your child swim on the beach in Ambleside because REAL pollution is never addressed.
CO2 is not a pollutant. You’ve been lied to.
If you want to see what the victory of populism versus globalism looks like, check out this Nigel Farage Brexit speech at the EU.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CaM1Vo0MfAY
An absolutely stupid thing to do. This is just a tax grab. This will make no difference whatsoever to the environment. Maybe I would (somewhat) support this if 100% of the money raised went directly to help stop China and other south east Asian countries from dumping their garbage into rivers and oceans. When it comes to making a difference – the problem is not here.
As long as the only industry in WV is real estate, the taxation of private citizens will continue to be the only significant source of income for the District.
There have been many innovative ideas about how to revitalize our district in creative ways, from boat and board rentals to wine bars to art centres, and all of these suggestions would bring in a differentiated tax base to cover growing infrastructure costs as well as municipal upgrades (as this gut-wrench ,1% beat-em-when-they’re down tax proposal)
WEST VANCOUVER. we can do better. There are creative, sustainable and community-benefitting solutions to this problem of taxation. It is absolutely despicable to continuously ask for more from the people who live here.