Fort St. John’s $62m budget to be presented at public meeting following city approval

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – City council is in the final stretch of completing the 2025 capital budget, which amounts to more than $62 million. 

At the January 27th committee of the whole meeting, staff presented a draft of the budget, and sought feedback from council on how to fix a $451,933 shortfall. 

During the next meeting of council on February 24th, staff returned with the balanced budget, which has increased by approximately $3 million due to larger-than-expected government transfers and staff-made adjustments recommended by council. 

This includes an increase of around $1.5 million from the Peace River Agreement and $510,000 in infrastructure grants. 

The city applies for grants and receives funds annually through the Peace River Agreement, a 20-year agreement between local governments in the Peace River Regional District signed in 2015 which provides financial support to each government every year. 

The monetary amounts for the agreement and other grants were estimated for the unbalanced budget, as the exact figures had not been approved in January, but the figures were finalized in the report submitted in February. 

Staff-made adjustments to the budget included closing and reallocating the $75,000 Energy Literacy Reserve, an under-utilized fund originally created in 2013 and unknown to many of the councillors. Staff also allotted $250,000 for personnel vacancies and decreased overall expenses by $253,933. 

The updated 2025 capital budget, which was presented to council in January as being approximately $61.39 million, was approved by council at $62.16 million. 

The next step will see staff present the budget in a public meeting before it is officially incorporated into the 2025 five-year financial plan bylaw. 

The drop-in and public meeting was scheduled for March 10th from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall. 

Information about the budget will be displayed, and members of the council and staff will be available to answer residents’ questions.