Description
The City of Kelowna’s stormwater management system needs a funding source so it can be maintained, renewed (when it deteriorates) and upgraded (to address climate change).
The City has over $350 million of engineered stormwater assets including vacuum trucks for cleaning and flushing, underground pipes that carry stormwater to surface waterbodies, catch basins, stormwater ponds, and more. To ensure these systems operate as intended the City relies on staff and contractors to clean, inspect, repair, and operate these systems. These systems require a stable funding source.
Property owners currently contribute to stormwater funding based on the assessed value of their property but there is room for improvement to create a more fair and equitable funding model.
This means properties that don’t contribute a lot to stormwater issues have sometimes paid the same (or in some cases, more) than properties who contribute significantly to stormwater issues.
On April 28, 2025, Council directed staff to not continue with Phase 3 of the Stormwater Utility Initiative. Residents can expect to continue to pay for municipal stormwater management services through their property taxes.