Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Dec, 2024 04:50 PM
Vancouver City Council has approved a property tax increase of 2.9 per cent, with an additional one per cent dedicated to renewing critical infrastructure.
A statement from the city says the overall increase of 3.9 per cent is one of the lowest across the region following a 7.5 per cent increase for 2024.
City Council has approved the 2025 budget, including: š An operating budget totaling $2.34B šļø A capital budget totaling $880M šļø A 3.9% property tax increase
Mayor Ken Sim had earlier set a cap of 5.5 per cent for the 2025 increase.
Today, Vancouver City Council approved the 2025 budget, delivering a tax increase of just 2.9%, with an additional 1% dedicated to renewing critical infrastructure such as water and sewer lines.
We're investing in a stronger, safer, and more affordable city without cuttingā¦ pic.twitter.com/owtQMeSJmC
B.C.'s Education and Child Care Ministry says the $2-per-hour raise and previous wage boosts totalling $4 an hour since 2018 will increase the hourly wage for early childhood educators to $28 per hour. Ā The ministry says early childhood educators who hold specialized certificates for infant, toddler and special needs education are also eligible for up to $3,000 extra per year.
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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to exempt all forms of home heating from the carbon price, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an exemption for three years that only applies to home heating oil.Ā The federal government announced last week that it is increasing the carbon price rebate for rural Canadians and lifting the carbon price off home heating oil entirely for the next three years.
An unseasonable cold snap covering much of the province broke records over the weekend, including one that had been in place for more than a century.Ā Environment Canada reports at least eight new lows for the record books, such as Nelsonās low of at minus 4.9 degrees, exceeding the 4.4 degrees set in 1905.
A new provincewide public safety coalition that includes community and business groups, citizens and well-known B-C retailers is set to launch today.Ā A statement says the coalition wants governments to work together and act quickly on crime and violence issues in communities across B-C.
A second referendum on Khalistan ā an independent state in India proposed by some Sikhs ā was held today at the same Surrey gurdwara where activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in June.Ā Sarbraj Kahlon, news director at Radio Punjab who was at the referendum site, called the latest vote a success after 65,700 people turned out in Surrey Sunday to cast ballots.Ā
