FAQs

The SLRD is not a taxing authority. Instead, we rely on BC’s Surveyor of Taxes to collect taxes from property owners in electoral areas and the municipalities collect taxes within our member municipalities. Regional Districts inform the Surveyor of Taxes and member municipalities of the amount of taxes required to meet the annual budget, which is approved by the Regional District Board each year at the end of March. The tax money is collected by the Surveyor of Taxes and the member municipalities and is forwarded to the Regional District.

Services are governed by establishing Service Establishment bylaws which define how the service will be funded (taxes, parcel taxes, user fees, etc.) and the maximum tax requisitions allowable for that service (flat rate, or tax rate per $100,000 of assessment for that service).  Some services are mandated under the Local Government Act, like General Government, and do not require a Service Establishment bylaw and do not have a tax requisition limit.

The SLRD determines tax rates for each service based on the approved plans and financial budgets submitted by each department and endorsed by the SLRD Board of Directors, along with most current assessment information available from the BC Assessment Authority. The amount of taxes collected varies from area to area, based on the services that are received.

The SLRD has 100 services. Each service covers a specific area and only taxpayers within that area pay taxes toward that service. Each service’s budget operates independently, meaning the taxes collected for that service can only be spent on that service.

Each service covers a specific area and only taxpayers within that area pay taxes toward that service. Each service’s budget operates independently, meaning the taxes collected for that service can only be spent on that service. If a service applies to you, the costs show on your annual tax notice, which includes your SLRD taxes and other taxes that apply to you, such as school, police and the Provincial Rural tax (for roads). The amount you pay for a service is based either on the assessed value (calculated by BC Assessment) of your property or a flat rate per land parcel or user.

The SLRD’s 2026-2030 DRAFT Financial Plan will be shared on the Get Involved SLRD website. Questions and comments can be submitted through the website, by mail, email or fax.

The SLRD Board of Directors will consider adoption of the Financial Plan at its March, 2026 meeting.