Stormwater Utility Funding Study

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Every time it rains or snow melts, our streets, driveways, parking lots and rooftops prevent water from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the water runs off these hard surfaces, carrying dirt, oil, gasoline, garbage, animal droppings and chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides into storm drains. Stormwater management involves controlling the amount and quality of water from rainfall and snowmelt. Our stormwater system discharges into nearby creeks, Campbell River, Discovery Passage and the Salish Sea.


When stormwater is managed correctly, it can help prevent and address costly and harmful impacts to public and personal property. Pooling, flooding and erosion are all possible results of stormwater, and can damage roads, sidewalks, buildings, homes and the natural environment. The risk of flooding will only increase with climate change.

The City is conducting a study to review and recommend a more fair and sustainable funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program. A new stormwater rate model would represent a shift in how the City funds its stormwater management system.

Project Summary

Campbell River’s stormwater system is aging and needs to be properly maintained and rehabilitated to ensure our homes, buildings, roads and other community assets are protected from stormwater damage. To support building community resilience to future stormwater impacts, the City is reviewing options for a fair and sustainable funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program.

Residents have always paid for stormwater management through a stormwater parcel tax, which can be found on property tax notices. Through this tax, the amount residents pay is the same, no matter the load each property puts on the City’s stormwater system. This means properties who contribute relatively little stormwater runoff into our City’s stormwater system – such as a small house or café - are charged the same as a property that contributes a lot of runoff – like a large parking lot. We believe we can do better.

The Stormwater Utility Funding Study will assess stormwater rate models that would shift how Campbell River funds its stormwater management system, from a parcel tax to a stormwater user fee based on a property’s load on the City’s stormwater system.

The goal is to create a funding model that will: 

  • Be fair, equitable and simple;

  • Allow the City to increase the resilience of its stormwater system;

  • Promote good private stormwater practices that lessen the load on the City’s stormwater system and help protect natural waterbodies; and,

  • Follow user-pay principles.

Stormwater rate models being considered would have rates calculated based on the average amount of hard (or impervious) surface on a property. Hard or impervious surfaces, which can easily be measured using aerial photography, typically include roofs, driveways, walkways, parking areas and more.

While residents have always paid into our stormwater management system, this proposed change to a fairer fee may mean how much you contribute could also change. 

Details for the proposed fee change will be reviewed and considered by council prior to implementation. If approved, the amount residential and non-residential properties would pay will vary by property type and the amount of hard or impervious surface different properties have. Please see our project timeline for key project updates. To stay informed, sign up for updates here.


Fast Facts

  1. Stormwater is the water from rain, melting snow and ice that washes off driveways, parking lots, roads, yards, rooftops and other surfaces. When rainfall and snowmelt run off these surfaces, stormwater reaches waterways faster, in greater volumes and with more pollution.
  2. The City is responsible for managing stormwater within its municipal boundary, a service that includes planning, constructing, inspecting, maintaining and rehabilitating natural and built infrastructure. Many stormwater management assets are buried or located where they cannot easily be seen; this makes stormwater management easy to overlook.
  3. The City’s stormwater management system includes over 165 km of storm sewers, 118 km of open ditches, 2,911 maintenance holes, 4,313 catch basins, 42,825 storm service connections, 83 outfalls, 25 stormwater management ponds, 14 km of culverts and more – all requiring a funding source to maintain, renew (when they deteriorate) and upgrade.
  4. Ditches, culverts and creeks may not look like City infrastructure, but these are also part of the City’s stormwater management system and receive run-off from properties; they also require regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance to keep them working efficiently. 
  5. A stormwater rate reflects a user-pay concept, similar to the City’s water and wastewater rates, where charges are determined based on a property’s water consumption.
  6. Property owners have always paid into stormwater management through a storm water parcel tax, where each property is charged an equal amount to cover costs related to storm water management, regardless of how much stormwater runoff their property contributes

Every time it rains or snow melts, our streets, driveways, parking lots and rooftops prevent water from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the water runs off these hard surfaces, carrying dirt, oil, gasoline, garbage, animal droppings and chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides into storm drains. Stormwater management involves controlling the amount and quality of water from rainfall and snowmelt. Our stormwater system discharges into nearby creeks, Campbell River, Discovery Passage and the Salish Sea.


When stormwater is managed correctly, it can help prevent and address costly and harmful impacts to public and personal property. Pooling, flooding and erosion are all possible results of stormwater, and can damage roads, sidewalks, buildings, homes and the natural environment. The risk of flooding will only increase with climate change.

The City is conducting a study to review and recommend a more fair and sustainable funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program. A new stormwater rate model would represent a shift in how the City funds its stormwater management system.

Project Summary

Campbell River’s stormwater system is aging and needs to be properly maintained and rehabilitated to ensure our homes, buildings, roads and other community assets are protected from stormwater damage. To support building community resilience to future stormwater impacts, the City is reviewing options for a fair and sustainable funding source to support the City’s current and future stormwater management program.

Residents have always paid for stormwater management through a stormwater parcel tax, which can be found on property tax notices. Through this tax, the amount residents pay is the same, no matter the load each property puts on the City’s stormwater system. This means properties who contribute relatively little stormwater runoff into our City’s stormwater system – such as a small house or café - are charged the same as a property that contributes a lot of runoff – like a large parking lot. We believe we can do better.

The Stormwater Utility Funding Study will assess stormwater rate models that would shift how Campbell River funds its stormwater management system, from a parcel tax to a stormwater user fee based on a property’s load on the City’s stormwater system.

The goal is to create a funding model that will: 

  • Be fair, equitable and simple;

  • Allow the City to increase the resilience of its stormwater system;

  • Promote good private stormwater practices that lessen the load on the City’s stormwater system and help protect natural waterbodies; and,

  • Follow user-pay principles.

Stormwater rate models being considered would have rates calculated based on the average amount of hard (or impervious) surface on a property. Hard or impervious surfaces, which can easily be measured using aerial photography, typically include roofs, driveways, walkways, parking areas and more.

While residents have always paid into our stormwater management system, this proposed change to a fairer fee may mean how much you contribute could also change. 

Details for the proposed fee change will be reviewed and considered by council prior to implementation. If approved, the amount residential and non-residential properties would pay will vary by property type and the amount of hard or impervious surface different properties have. Please see our project timeline for key project updates. To stay informed, sign up for updates here.


Fast Facts

  1. Stormwater is the water from rain, melting snow and ice that washes off driveways, parking lots, roads, yards, rooftops and other surfaces. When rainfall and snowmelt run off these surfaces, stormwater reaches waterways faster, in greater volumes and with more pollution.
  2. The City is responsible for managing stormwater within its municipal boundary, a service that includes planning, constructing, inspecting, maintaining and rehabilitating natural and built infrastructure. Many stormwater management assets are buried or located where they cannot easily be seen; this makes stormwater management easy to overlook.
  3. The City’s stormwater management system includes over 165 km of storm sewers, 118 km of open ditches, 2,911 maintenance holes, 4,313 catch basins, 42,825 storm service connections, 83 outfalls, 25 stormwater management ponds, 14 km of culverts and more – all requiring a funding source to maintain, renew (when they deteriorate) and upgrade.
  4. Ditches, culverts and creeks may not look like City infrastructure, but these are also part of the City’s stormwater management system and receive run-off from properties; they also require regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance to keep them working efficiently. 
  5. A stormwater rate reflects a user-pay concept, similar to the City’s water and wastewater rates, where charges are determined based on a property’s water consumption.
  6. Property owners have always paid into stormwater management through a storm water parcel tax, where each property is charged an equal amount to cover costs related to storm water management, regardless of how much stormwater runoff their property contributes

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  • Share Will you consider incentivizing changing hard surface driveways, parking lots and laneways to permeable surfaces and require that in new construction? on Facebook Share Will you consider incentivizing changing hard surface driveways, parking lots and laneways to permeable surfaces and require that in new construction? on Twitter Share Will you consider incentivizing changing hard surface driveways, parking lots and laneways to permeable surfaces and require that in new construction? on Linkedin Email Will you consider incentivizing changing hard surface driveways, parking lots and laneways to permeable surfaces and require that in new construction? link

    Will you consider incentivizing changing hard surface driveways, parking lots and laneways to permeable surfaces and require that in new construction?

    Sue Moen asked about 1 month ago

    Thanks for the question! The City is exploring multiple approaches to stormwater funding, including incentivizing the installation of permeable surfaces. The final recommendation, which will look to balance equity, effectiveness and costs, will be reviewed and considered by Council before implementation.

    For new construction, the City enacted a new Works and Services Bylaw 3948 earlier this year that brings the City more in line with stormwater management best practices by better regulating the amount and quality of water that runs off from newly developed lands. While the City does not stipulate how new construction meets these standards, installing more permeable surfaces is one way it can be done.

    To receive the latest updates on the current stormwater management study, please consider subscribing to the Stay Informed tab at Stormwater Utility Funding Study | Get Involved Campbell River.

  • Share When will we actually get any Stormwater drainage System in the Campbellton Area ? A lot of streets in the old core don't even have connection to such a system. on Facebook Share When will we actually get any Stormwater drainage System in the Campbellton Area ? A lot of streets in the old core don't even have connection to such a system. on Twitter Share When will we actually get any Stormwater drainage System in the Campbellton Area ? A lot of streets in the old core don't even have connection to such a system. on Linkedin Email When will we actually get any Stormwater drainage System in the Campbellton Area ? A lot of streets in the old core don't even have connection to such a system. link

    When will we actually get any Stormwater drainage System in the Campbellton Area ? A lot of streets in the old core don't even have connection to such a system.

    Leviani asked 27 days ago

    Thanks for the question! Establishing a user fee based model is the first step in creating equitable and sustainable stormwater utility funding. This will strengthening the City's ability to deliver enhanced stormwater services to those areas of the City that need it most. The study currently underway will help the City plan the future of stormwater management in Campbell River and information on this will be shared on the City website and Get Involved platform. To receive the latest updates please consider subscribing to the Stay Informed tab at Stormwater Utility Funding Study | Get Involved Campbell River. Please inform the City of any stormwater servicing issues you are experiencing by calling the Dogwood Operations Centre at 250.286.4033.

  • Share Can somebody clean my storm water 💧 pipe that's plugged close to the front of my house 🏠? Located in Georgia park.? on Facebook Share Can somebody clean my storm water 💧 pipe that's plugged close to the front of my house 🏠? Located in Georgia park.? on Twitter Share Can somebody clean my storm water 💧 pipe that's plugged close to the front of my house 🏠? Located in Georgia park.? on Linkedin Email Can somebody clean my storm water 💧 pipe that's plugged close to the front of my house 🏠? Located in Georgia park.? link

    Can somebody clean my storm water 💧 pipe that's plugged close to the front of my house 🏠? Located in Georgia park.?

    Amby asked 2 months ago

    Hi, there. To report any stormwater issues, please contact dogwood.centre@campbellriver.ca

Page last updated: 20 Sep 2024, 10:19 AM