construction of water infrastructure

Development-Related Infrastructure Funding

To support new development, the Town of Golden uses several financial tools enabled by the Local Government Act and Community Charter of British Columbia. These tools help recover the capital costs of infrastructure, like water, sewer, and roads, that are needed to support growth in our community.

The two main tools we currently use are:

  • Development Cost Charges (DCCs): Fees collected from developers through the DCC Bylaw to help pay for offsite infrastructure like water, sewer, drainage, and roads. Learn more about DCCs.
  • Works and Services Requirements: Infrastructure upgrades or installations required directly from developers through the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw. These are formalized through a Works and Services Agreement (also known as a Servicing Agreement).

In some cases, significant off-site infrastructure is required to enable new development. To help facilitate this type of growth, the Town is exploring additional financing tools and approaches to complement existing methods. 

Others tools may include local area service taxes, fees or specified areas parcel taxes. These cost recovery tools typically do not meet the accepted benefiter pay principal, where a developer is charged in proportion to how much the development benefits.  

This means that in certain circumstances, Developer-Build Agreements are required for localized infrastructure to service new growth immediately and before development approvals.  For these required offsite works, specific scenarios (with catchment areas) and financing tools options are being researched and analyzed for consideration by the Town and the development community. These tools may include:

The Town recently worked with Urban Systems to develop development-related infrastructure funding guidelines

Development-Related Off-Site Infrastructure Capital Cost Recovery Guide (April 2025)

New developments and growth increases the demand for new or expanded infrastructure and services from municipalities, this can result in what is called offsite infrastructure requirements. 

Offsite infrastructure is triggered by development and refers to offsite works required for our growing community. This includes: 

  • Improvements to non-local roads and the active transportation network.
  • Increasing water and fire flow (ex. water main upsizing, a larger booster station).
  • Sewer main upsizing to handle additional flow.
  • An expansion to the wastewater treatment plant. 

Offsite infrastructure does not include:

  • Development service connections and frontage works (ex. a sidewalk or paving to centerline immediately fronting a development). 
  • Works internal to a new subdivision where the developer pays for the roads, water/sewer distribution systems, and other services within the subdivision. 

Offsite infrastructure may be required when a developer builds a new subdivision, commercial or residential buildings, when a business owner constructs an addition to their buildings, or when a homeowner builds a Detached Secondary Residential Dwelling (ex. carriage house).

Offsite infrastructure may need to be installed or upgraded before, or in conjunction with, the new building or subdivision proceeds. Depending on the required infrastructure and circumstances (such as timing and localized vs. broader community infrastructure).