RDN Budget Talks

Learn about our financial planning and annual budgeting process and ask questions. We will be providing updated documents as they become available to help you understand how your tax dollars are spent at the RDN.

How you can be involved and find out more.

  • Stay informed and subscribe for project updates to this page. By subscribing, you will be kept up-to-date when financial plan and budget information is shared through our electronic communications.
  • You can learn more by reviewing the 2026 RDN Property Tax Brochure and Supplemental Information for each electoral area and municipality within the RDN to see what has been budgeted for your area, where the money comes from and what services you get.
  • Have a question? Register and ask us by clicking on the Q&A button below and our staff will provide an answer. All questions and answers can be seen by all that view this project page.
  • Check out our videos sharing information about who the RDN is and how regional budgeting works.

Thanks for learning more about the RDN financial planning and budgeting process!


Learn about our financial planning and annual budgeting process and ask questions. We will be providing updated documents as they become available to help you understand how your tax dollars are spent at the RDN.

How you can be involved and find out more.

  • Stay informed and subscribe for project updates to this page. By subscribing, you will be kept up-to-date when financial plan and budget information is shared through our electronic communications.
  • You can learn more by reviewing the 2026 RDN Property Tax Brochure and Supplemental Information for each electoral area and municipality within the RDN to see what has been budgeted for your area, where the money comes from and what services you get.
  • Have a question? Register and ask us by clicking on the Q&A button below and our staff will provide an answer. All questions and answers can be seen by all that view this project page.
  • Check out our videos sharing information about who the RDN is and how regional budgeting works.

Thanks for learning more about the RDN financial planning and budgeting process!


Q&A

Ask us a question about the budget process.

You need to be signed in to add your question.

  • Is there a timeline for the various components of putting together the 2027 2031 budget book?

    Palermonoel asked 12 days ago

    General Local Government Elections are held every four years, with the next election scheduled for October 17, 2026. The 2027-2031 Financial Plan will be presented after the inaugural meeting of the new Regional District of Nanaimo board.  Presentation of this plan, including the accompanying binder, is tentatively scheduled for December 2026. In accordance with the Local Government Act, the 2027-2031 Financial Plan must be adopted before March 31, 2027.

  • In 2018 , there was an RFP RDN Water Services Condition Assessments and 10 Year Capital Plan. Was this plan ever completed and is it available online to the public?

    greigbd asked 19 days ago

    The report generated from the RFP for RDN Water Services Condition Assessment and 10 Year Capital Plan was used internally for asset management planning.  The Water Services department has 20-year renewal plans in place for all RDN water systems and are working on formal asset management plans for each water system that will be public facing.  The first of these reports are planned for later this year.

  • Is there a document which shows the 10 year capital spending, new borrowing and capital financing by year?

    greigbd asked 22 days ago

    Regional districts are required by legislation to prepare five-year financial plans each year. The Regional District of Nanaimo delivers 115 services, each with its own unique operating, capital, financing, and borrowing requirements.  The Financial Plan provides information on capital spending, capital financing, and new borrowing for each service within the five-year plan. For example, in the 2026 to 2030 Financial Plan, this information begins on page 109.  The RDN does not prepare a separate document showing 10-year capital spending, new borrowing, and capital financing by year.  The link to the RDN Financial Reports, which includes the last 5 five-year Financial Plans and covers the years 2021 through 2030, can be found here. If there is a specific service you would like more information on, please do not hesitate to ask.

  • Thank you for providing ability to ask questions. This approved budget is to 2030, but there is no info that I can find about how the financials look in each year and most importantly, the trends and changes for the whole period. It noted that this info was "on page 18" of the budget, but it was not. That page just seemed to replicate the one year info/changes. We are being asked to approve and pay for a 5 year budget, but there is really no info on "the whole". Thank you janet Thank you Janet

    Janet Walker asked about 2 months ago

    Under the Local Government Act, regional districts must adopt a five-year financial plan by March 31 each year.  In accordance with this requirement, the RDN's 2026-2030 Amended Financial Plan was adopted by the Board on February 24, 2026.  While the complete plan is available on the RDN website under Financial Reports, the consolidated five-year plan can be found on page 11 of this report.  Additional information, including divisional summaries and service-level details, is provided in the relevant division sections beginning on page 106.  Each section provides detailed five-year financial plan information for the individual RDN services within the corresponding division, along with a summary of the division.  

  • The nov 4 board meeting did not include a full draft of rdn budget. I am looking for some specifics such as over all transit costs by area and capital expenditures and funding sources for the french creek pollution control center? When and where will the full draft be available to the public? Thank you

    Palermonoel asked 9 months ago

    The 2026-2030 Recommended Financial Plan, as well as the November 4, 2025 presentation of this plan, are now available for viewing on the RDN's website and can be found here.

  • Where can I find the draft 2026 2030 draft budget?

    Palermonoel asked 11 months ago

    The 2026-2030 Aggregated Financial Plan Presentation is scheduled for November 4, 2025. That is the first presentation for the 2026-2030 Financial Plan.

  • Why are the approximate 2300 residents of French Creek mandated to pay a nominal amount of tax each year to support the French Creek Bulk Water when there is no evidence that they would ever need water from the Arrowsmith Dam supply especially the residents of the French Creek Service Area(Sandpiper). There is approximately $500k sitting in reserves collecting interest each year. Seems like an unnecessary use of resources to participate in the Joint Venture and manage the account. Is there consideration the members of French Creek will not be included in the Joint Venture in the immediate future?

    D Goodfellow asked over 1 year ago

    The French Creek residents are part of the Arrowsmith Water Service (AWS) joint venture that constructed and owns and operates the Arrowsmith Dam. Many years ago the objectives of the AWS were to provide water to the French Creek area. When that was deemed unlikely to happen, both French Creek and Qualicum Beach declined to participate in the future activities of the joint venture. As the dam was already constructed at that point, and both areas chose to remain a part of that aspect, a new joint venture (Englishman River Water Service) was created to construct the water intake and treatment plant. The RDN Board could decide to fund the ongoing obligation to the joint venture fully from the reserve fund rather than collecting the nominal parcel tax. Similarly the RDN Board could contemplate a change in Electoral Area G participation in the joint venture.

  • I am unable to locate the forecasted revenue/expenses required to support the Water Smart team. Where are the funds sourced for this team? Why are we promoting water conservation for the 9 RDN water service areas and penalizing the residents for reducing their use by imposing a minimum .5 cu. meter billing rate up to the .7 usage $1 tier in bylaw 1655?

    D Goodfellow asked over 1 year ago

    Team Water Smart is part of the Drinking Water And Watershed Protection service found on page 157 and 158 of the 2025 – 2029 Financial Plan.  It is funded by a parcel tax on every property within the regional district.

    The tiered water rates are designed to reduce the cost of water for those households in the lower tier of usage, and make it more expensive for those households using an excessive amount of potable water. There is a minimum daily rate to ensure all users pay something towards the operation and maintenance of the systems.

  • We just received notification of the upcoming Board meeting scheduled for 5Nov/24 for presentation of the 2025/29 aggregated Financial Plan. Why is this plan not available on-line for the public to review prior to this meeting? .

    D Goodfellow asked over 1 year ago

    The 2025-2029 Recommended Financial Plan is available as Attachment A in the 2025 – 2029 Aggregated Financial Plan Report in the November 5, 2024 Committee of Whole agenda package (page 26 of the pdf agenda package). To view the agenda or to watch the meeting live, please click the following link to the Board Meeting calendar: rdn.bc.ca/agendas-minutes-videos; then click on the event date and meeting.

  • I am in the Rivers Edge subdivision and I see that 1.5 million is being budgeted for water system upgrade. I know there were talks of an upgrade but is this definitely going to happen now and the big question how does this affect my taxes, will it be paid for by our community alone? Are we eligible for any government infrastructure grants for this? Thank you.

    notopool asked about 3 years ago

    This project was deferred to 2024 by the RDN Board. In 2024, we plan to hold a referendum in the Rivers Edge Water Service Area to approve or reject the borrowing needed to construct the upgrade. If successful, we would start the construction in late 2024 or early 2025. We are eligible for senior government grants and will apply for any available. Currently there are no applicable grant programs. If the RDN does not receive a grant, the total cost will be borne by the residents of the Rivers Edge Water Service Area via a long-term loan.

Page last updated: 03 Jun 2026, 03:53 PM