Regional Recreation Funding
The Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), in partnership with its member municipalities, has undertaken a recreation planning project for the past eight years. The phased approach has involved an initial public engagement and needs assessment (Phase 1), collection of facility user data (Phase 2), exploration of regional funding options (Phase 3) and development of a regional recreation strategy (Phase 4).
A referendum was held in October 2022 during the local government elections which allowed the public to vote on whether or not they wanted to implement a new usage-based funding model for the 9 regionally significant recreation facilities. Based on the outcome of the referendum, we are now at the point where a new funding model based on facility usage has been voted in by the public and approved by the CVRD Board.
Bylaw 4438 - Establishment of Regional Recreation Funding Services has now been adopted and 2023 will be the first year of a 3-year phased approach to the new funding model in an effort to help ease the impacts that the funding changes will have on some taxpayers.
The phase-in will look like this:
- Year One (2023) will be 1/3 based on usage and 2/3 based on existing funding methods
- Year Two (2024) will be 2/3 based on usage and 1/3 based on existing funding methods
- Year Three (2025) will be based fully on usage (and every year moving forward)
For all the details on this project and how the new funding model could impact you, please visit our "Play Fair - Pay Fair" project site: planyourcowichan.ca/RECFUND.