Editor: The Outlook recently had an article titled … Utility master plan sets out $51 million in work needed.
When one reads this it becomes clear the Town of Canmore is speaking primarily of the costs of sewer and waterworks upgrades necessary to meet the potential demands of primarily Silvertip and TSMV development proposals; and that it is the town’s anticipation that these costs will be borne by the developers through offsite levies.
One has to wonder about other costs not borne by the developers.
For example, the Spring Creek Drive project commencing this year carries a $3.4 million price tag. In fairness, a portion of these costs are being picked up by Spring Creek, and the provincial government, but, there is still a $1 million cost to the town.
Another example is the improvements and upgrades to Railway Avenue, carrying a total price tag over two and a half years of $10 million.
I’m reasonably certain that there will be roads, culverts, intersections, interchanges and the like that will need significant amounts of work if Three Sisters and Silvertip go forward; and that those costs will be expected to be paid out of the public purse (ie: the ratepayers). I wonder at the estimates related to the projects not paid for by the developers.
I would also note that if the proposed developments go forward, in due course, the Town of Canmore assumes all the infrastructure assets; which logically over time need repairs and replacement. If the two major developers build $100 million worth of infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, culverts, parks, etc.) then the cost of repairs and replacements falls on the ratepayers of the Town of Canmore.
With that in mind, one has to wonder what may be expected in terms of the property taxes and tax rates.
In the 1990s a paper prepared by Dr. Anne Golden in Ontario calculated that ... for every dollar a developer brings into a community, about $1.40 went out of the community. You have to wonder if the impact will prove to be the same here in Canmore.
Jeff Laidlaw,
Canmore
