Kitimat council has finalized the town’s 2025 tax framework, unanimously adopting three key financial bylaws during a special meeting held on May 7.
The move follows earlier readings of the bylaws at council’s regular May 5 meeting. The adopted bylaws include the Five-Year Financial Plan, the 2025 Tax Rates Bylaw, and an amendment to the Residential Flat Rate Tax.
The financial plan outlines projected revenues and spending through 2029, and includes a 5.5 per cent property tax increase for 2025. That year’s budget is balanced at $72.1 million, with property taxes expected to bring in $41.4 million—over three-quarters of the town’s operating revenue. Of that, around $31.2 million will come from major industry.
Other revenue sources include user fees, internal revenues, and government grants. On the spending side, major expenses include nearly $25 million for capital projects, over $11 million for protective services, and about $9.7 million for general government services. Debt servicing will cost just over $610,000.
The Tax Rates Bylaw sets the necessary rates to collect the projected revenue, including taxes collected for other bodies like the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District and the Northwest Regional Hospital District. LNG Canada properties remain exempt under a separate agreement.
Finally, the Residential Flat Rate Tax has been increased from $723 to $763 for 2025—the first hike in recent years. Kitimat has had a flat tax for homeowners since the early ’90s, and once discontinued, it can’t be brought back.
The bylaws were required to be in place by May 15, under provincial rules.
