Council Highlights - January 26, 2026

Read below about some of the decisions made by the City of Dawson Creek Council at the January 26 &28, 2026 Council Meeting.

Letter of Support - Creating a Situation Table in Dawson Creek

Two letters - one from Independence Networking Services (INS) and one from Nawican Friendship Centre – were received by Council expressing their support for the creation of a Situation Table in Dawson Creek. A Situation Table is a collaborative community safety initiative that brings different sectors together to identify individuals or families at “acutely elevated risk” (AER) of harm, crime, or crisis and to find ways to support them together. Council directed Staff to reach out to engage with relevant partners to obtain information on the feasibility, governance and operational requirements of a Situation Table for Dawson Creek.  

Development Cost Charges and Determining Municipal Assist Factors

At the December 15, 2025 Council meeting, City Staff explained how Development Cost Charges (DCCs) work; DCCs are fees paid by developers to help cover the cost of new infrastructure, like water and sewer systems, needed for growth.

Council discussed whether the City should pay a larger share of these costs. They were interested in increasing the Municipal Assist Factor—the portion the City pays—from 10% to 15%, similar to what the City of Fort St. John does.

At the January 26, 2026 Council meeting, Report No. 26-005 Development Cost Charges and Determining Municipal Assist Factors was presented outlining different Municipal Assist Factor options and asking Council for direction on a new DCC Bylaw.

Council decided to increase the Municipal Assist Factor to 15%. This means:

• Developers will pay less in DCC fees, and
• The City will pay a larger share of the cost for growth-related water and sewer projects.

2026 Draft 2 Budget

Report No. 26-012 2026 Draft 2 Budget was brought forward to present Draft 2 of the 2026 Financial Plan for consideration. 

Due to lengthy budget discussions, Council chose to adjourn and reconvene the meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 to finalize their decisions on the Draft 2 Budget. 

Going into Draft 2, Council was looking at a 6.75% tax increase for 2026. After receiving notice this week of an increase to the annual Peace River Agreement (PRA) funding, and Council’s deliberation on additional budget matters, Council made the decision to move to a tax rate increase of 5.45%, to be considered in Draft 3 of the 2026 Budget on March 9, 2026.

The annual Budget Public Consultation will be held on Monday, February 9, 2026 in Council Chambers, City Hall at 12:00 PM. Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in the budget process before Council moves on to Draft 3 of the 2026 Budget.

Questions can be included in the discussion ahead of time by submitting them to budget@dawsoncreek.ca by Friday, February 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM (noon). Residents are also welcome to attend the meeting in person and ask questions directly during the consultation.