The Town of Golden remains committed to responsible financial management and delivering a sustainable, balanced budget that aligns with community values and priorities. On May 6, Council adopted the 2025 budget and five-year financial plan following community engagement and careful deliberation about Town programs, services, infrastructure, and service levels. The budget will allow the Town to maintain current service levels, while also meeting the changing needs and expectations of a growing community.
“The cost to deliver local government services continues to climb. Like everyone else, we’re feeling the impact of inflation and economic pressures. This year’s increase is necessary to keep up with our core responsibilities,” said Mayor Ron Oszust. “We heard from residents who emphasized the importance of maintaining service levels, investing in critical infrastructure, and keeping Golden a vibrant, livable community, and this budget reflects those priorities.”
The 2025 Budget addresses rising operating and infrastructure costs while allowing the Town to maintain service levels and invest in key initiatives. New and ongoing projects for the year include:
- Investing in core infrastructure: Key projects include the continued development of Well 7, sanitary sewer pipelining and system inspections, and the milling and repaving of 8th Avenue South as part of ongoing infrastructure renewal.
- Enhancing community amenities: 2025 will see the construction of four new pickleball courts and two tennis courts at Keith King Memorial Park, supported by grant funding and community partnerships.
- Planning for a resilient and growing future: The process will start on a new Official Community Plan (OCP), updates to the Development Cost Charges (DCC) Bylaw, and increased support for the Golden and Area “A” Emergency Management Program.
Council also adopted the 2025 Tax Rates Bylaw on May 6. The tax rates determine how much each property class contributes, and the revenue collected helps support the Town’s ongoing operations and the maintenance of existing service levels.
In 2025, the average homeowner will see an approximate $194 increase in municipal property taxes for the year (roughly $16 per month).
In addition to Municipal taxes, the Town collects taxes on behalf of other agencies. The combined increase from these non-municipal taxing authorities (for example, School Tax, Police Tax, Hospital District, etc.) is approximately 7.73% for the average homeowner.
Of the total taxes collected, 61% will stay with the Town to fund municipal operations, unchanged from 2024, with the remainder remitted to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, Province of BC (Police and School Tax), Municipal Finance Authority, BC Assessment Authority, and Kootenay East Regional Hospital District.
“Our strong track record in securing external funding, like grants, means we’re able to stretch every local tax dollar further,” said Chief Administrative Officer Jeremy Denegar. “This year’s budget reflects not only the pressures we face, but also the strategic choices we’ve made to invest in infrastructure, amenities, and planning for the future, without compromising the services people rely on every day.”
Public input played a critical role in shaping the 2025 Budget. Through a combination of survey responses and direct engagement, residents emphasized the importance of reliable infrastructure, responsible spending, and transparent governance. The Town has published a “What We Heard/What We’re Doing” summary at golden.ca/budget.
For more information and details on the 2025 budget and 2025-2029 financial plan, visit golden.ca/budget. To learn more about your 2025 BC Assessment, visit bcassessment.ca