City of Whitehorse capital budget plan proposes $305M in spending over 4 years

The City of Whitehorse presented its proposed capital budget for 2024 to 2027on Tuesday evening, whichwould see nearly $305 millionin spending over fouryears.

Almost $55 million of the total proposed capital budgethas already been confirmed includingsome money from the city's reserve funds as well as external fundingfrom grants and other levels of government.Itwill requirean additional $250 millionof external funding to complete some of the planned infrastructure projects.

The proposed budget also calls for $47 million of capital spendingnext year, with the city expected to draw down its reserves by approximately $15 million.

Mayor Laura Cabott said on Tuesdaythat the budget is "not extravagant, rather it's necessary."

Cabottreiteratedhow the city remains one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the country, but with some infrastructurethat isnearing the end of itslife.

"Bymaking these difficult decisions today, we are setting the city up for success in the future so that we can deliver on the major projects that will support out city's growth well into the future," Cabott said.

The city has identified more than $7 million for 2024 and 2025to do ventilation upgrades inside the Canada Games Centre's aquaticarea, as well as repairs to the pool slide wall.

The plan would also see more than $14 million go toward the city's fleet and transportation maintenance. That includes repairs on the Two Mile Hill sidewalk.

About $360,000 has been set aside to replace playground equipment in parks.

Dealing with landslides on the escarpment

Cabottalso spoke on Tuesday about the city facing "a number of pressures outside of our control" including climate change.

For the past two years, landslides and the threat of additional ones along the escarpment closed Robert Service Way and the Millennium Trail for weeks at a time. Finding a permanent solution "will be one of the largest projects the city has event undertaken," according to Cabott.

The proposed budget earmarks around $57 million for "Robert Service Way Permanent Solution - Construction." The city, however, would be entirely reliant on outside funding, and it's not yet clear what the "permanent solution" will look like.

Cabott said the city has applied to the federal government's Disaster Mitigation Adaptation Fund.

"This ...budget is to actually dig down and start todo some design work on what's going to happen there, whether it's re-profiling the escarpment, whether it's trying to push the road [Robert Service Way] a little bit further," Cabott told reporters after Tuesday's council meeting.

"We're looking at all options."

The city will hearfeedback about the proposed capital budget from residents on Nov. 27. Council will vote on Dec. 11.