City Unveils Draft Five-Year Financial Plan

Port Alberni, BC – At today's Committee of the Whole meeting City of Port Alberni Director of Finance Andrew McGifford unveiled the highlights of the City’s draft Five-Year Financial Plan.

“The draft Financial Plan outlines how the City will implement Council’s Strategic Plan, from ‘provision of quality local government services that are valued by users’ to ‘renewal of City infrastructure in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner,’” said Director McGifford. “The COVID-19 pandemic will again influence the City’s Financial Plan in 2021, although differently than it did in 2020. In early 2020, City Council implemented changes to some services that would be impacted by COVID-19, resulting in a Financial Plan that supported service delivery methods modified by the necessities of the response to the pandemic. The draft Financial Plan includes some continuation of modified methods and services in 2021, and reflects the use of senior government COVID-response grant funds to respond to COVID-related challenges and support the community in recovering from the effects of the pandemic.”

“Director McGifford and staff have worked hard to developed a draft Financial Plan that reflects staff’s understanding of Council’s Strategic Priorities. I am pleased to have a starting point in front of us that recognizes the need to continually improve our community while reducing the impact to taxpayers as much as possible. The Plan thoughtfully identifies ways in which Council can use senior government grant funds and reserves to find a balance for property tax increases, accelerated infrastructure renewal, or the option to approve a combination of both.”

“It is now the role of Council to review and modify the draft Financial Plan with input from the public to ensure that the Financial Plan accurately reflects Council’s vision balanced with the community’s needs. I encourage community members to engage in the City’s Financial Planning process so that together we can develop a Plan that moves the community forward,” said Mayor Minions.

A detailed draft Financial Plan will be presented to Council for consideration of first reading at its Regular meeting on January 25th. Future meetings pertaining to the City’s Five-Year Financial Plan including an E-Town Hall may be viewed at www.portalberni.ca.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tim Pley, CAO
City of Port Alberni
250.720.2824
timothy_pley@portalberni.ca

Andrew McGifford, Director of Finance
City of Port Alberni
250.720.2821
andrew_mcgifford@portalberni.ca