Municipal News – City of Chilliwack
September 5, 2023
Industrial Revitalization Tax Exemption – Adopted
On August 15, Council adopted the Industrial Revitalization Tax Exemption Bylaw Amendment Bylaw through the consent agenda. The bylaw was first introduced in 2011 and extended for a period of 3 years in 2020; now it is being extended for an additional 3 years to September 30, 2026.
This bylaw extends current property tax exemptions for new industrial development and applies to the construction of a new improvement, or alteration of an existing improvement, developed for permitted industrial use with a building permit value in excess of $1,000,000.
For more information, see the full report.
July 11, 2023
UPDATE: Annual DCC Bylaw Update – Adopted
As noted in previous newsletters, on July 4, Council adopted proposed annual increases to its DCC Bylaw. The changes amount to an overall 3.99% increase in the City’s DCCs.
To see a comparison of the new and existing rates, see the proposed rate changes.
June 27, 2023
Annual Development Cost Charges Report (2022)
On June 20, Council received a report on the 2022 Annual Development Cost Charges (DCCs), which includes the amount of DCCs received, expenditures from the DCC reserve fund, the balance of the reserve fund at the start and end of the year, and any waivers/reductions. See below:
For more information, see the full report.
May 16, 2023
Annual DCC Bylaw Update – First and Second Readings
On May 2, Council gave first and second readings to the DCC amending bylaw, which proposes a 3.99% increase in the DCCs. This change is an outcome of the City’s annual review of the DCC program. To see a comparison of the new and existing rates, see the bylaw.
For more information, see the full report.
September 20, 2022
Delegation Authority Bylaw and Development Application Fee Bylaw Amendments
On September 6th, the Delegation Authority Bylaw and Development Application Fee Bylaw Amendments received First, Second, and Third Reading.
The Delegation Authority Bylaw Amendment delegates minor Development Variance Permit (DVP) applications to City staff for approval, instead of Council. This delegation is permitted through Section 498.1 of the Local Government Act (LGA). This will help establish a more streamlined process and reduced timelines. Eligible applications are outlined in Schedule B of the report.
The Development Application Fee Bylaw Amendment establishes a reduced application fee rate for minor DVP applications that may be approved by staff. The cost per minor variance is $250 (compared to $1100 cost per variance – no pre-construction and $500 for incremental cost per variance for constructing without building permit).
For more information, read the full report.
August 23, 2022
Corporate and Community Climate Action Plans
On August 16th, Council approved the Corporate and Community Climate Action Plans. The Corporate and Community Climate Action Plans provide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets and outline actions that will enable the City to achieve these targets.
See below for a summary of actions included in the Community Climate Action Plan:
For more information, read the full report.
July 26, 2022
Development Cost Charges and Zoning Bylaw Update
On July 19th, Council adopted updates to the Development Cost Charges (DCC) Bylaw and the Zoning Bylaw.
The updates are part of the City’s annual review of its DCCs and adopted DCC rates are an average DCC classification rate increase of 3.95%.
For more information, read the full report (see p. 26). For a comparison of the existing and new rates, see pages 121-6 in this report.
May 3, 2022
South Vedder Neighbourhood Plan
On April 19, the City of Chilliwack approved the South Vedder Neighbourhood Plan as an amendment bylaw to be incorporated as a schedule in the City’s 2040 Official Community Plan. This neighbourhood plan will build on the City’s OCP and help clarify expectations for new development as it occurs in this area. The full plan can be found here.
February 23, 2022
South Vedder Neighbourhood Plan
On February 15, Council directed staff to proceed with the final stages of the public engagement process for the draft South Vedder Neighbourhood Plan. Engagement will be conducted through the Engage.Chilliwack online portal, which includes links to the draft plan, project background and the staff presentation.
An online survey will be open until March 4, 2022 and we encourage builders active in the area to submit their comments.
Following the completion of this final engagement phase the Plan will be brought forward as an amendment to the City’s 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP), to incorporate the South Vedder Neighbourhood Plan as a new schedule.
May 19, 2020
May 6th Late Property Tax Payment Penalties Pushed to October 1 https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=434#pranchor1
April 29th Chilliwack Economic Recovery Network Launched to Help Local Business https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=430#pranchor1
April 28th City of Chilliwack Provides Utility Bill Relief for Residents https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=429#pranchor1
See here for latest COVID-19 Updates from the City of Chilliwack
This page includes affected City Services, Government Response to COVID-19, Bylaw Enforcement and Compliance, Property Taxes & Utility Payments, Facility Closures, FAQ& Resources.
See here for Chilliwack City News
See here for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates from the City of Chilliwack
Council Approves Temporary Process for Development Applications
April 8th https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prID=426
March 27th Bylaw officers Granted Ability to Support Enforcement of Health Orders https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=424#pranchor1
March 25th Council Holds a Virtual Meeting to Discuss Key Issues https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=423#pranchor1
March 23rd Mayor’s Statement – COVID-19: https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prID=419
March 18th City Hall Temporarily Closed to the Public: https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prID=421
March 17th and April 7 Public Hearings Canceled: https://www.chilliwack.com/main/page.cfm?id=37&prshow=details&prid=418
