(Image Credit: CFJC Today File)

By Victor Kaisar

TNRD Budget

TNRD board finalizes 2026 budget with 5.3 per cent global tax increase

Mar 27, 2026 | 4:59 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has approved its 2026 budget, which includes a global property tax increase of 5.3 per cent.

That figure is down from December’s estimate of 6.7 per cent, but it’s not necessarily how much more property owners will be required to pay.

The total tax requisition of $30.3 million is an increase of $1.5 million compared to last year, though the TNRD says it is being spread across a larger tax base due to new growth. Staff also say the reduction in the projected increase – which sat as high as 9.7 per cent last December – is due to some prudent spending and cost-saving measures as well as increased revenues.

“We saw a lot of growth in the business sector and we saw a lot of growth in the utility class sector,” TNRD Finance Manager Austin Potts told CFJC Today.

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“What that results in is, despite us bringing a 5.3 per cent overall requisition increase across the board, taxpayers are not seeing that increase as those businesses and utility class of taxpayers take on a proportionally higher amount of the tax burden.”

According to the TNRD, staff were able to realize nearly $1.3 million in additional surpluses last year due to cost-saving measures, while reserve contributions were increased by nearly $640,000. Solid waste revenue is also expected to go up by $241,000 when a new fee schedule takes effect on April 1.

“Our board was pleased to have an early look at the 2026 draft budget and be able to give direction on cost reductions and fee changes in several services, which have significantly reduced the tax requisition compared to what was proposed initially,” TNRD Board Chair Barbara Roden said in a statement.

“Staff have delivered on the board’s recommended changes, leading to a reduction in taxation of more than $408,000 compared to the provisional budget tabled in December,” added TNRD CAO Scott Hildebrand.

“Staff worked to reduce costs where possible in the final months of 2025, helping lead to a surplus of $4.5 million that will fund operations in 2026.”

The actual tax increase will also depend on where people live as TNRD taxpayers only pay for services they get from the regional district. As an example, Kamloops taxpayers do not pay for TNRD solid waste services as the city operates its own collection system, though they pay for things like the library and the film commission.

In Kamloops, the TNRD tax rates have increased by 45 cents per $100,000 of assessed property value, while in some rural areas, those tax rates have dropped by a dollar per $100,000 of assessed property value.

The TNRD’s capital budget totals $9.5 million, including $7.9 million in carry-forward costs from projects underway in 2025, and $1.6 million in newly budgeted projects.

Projects this year include completing the new Pritchard Water Treatment Plant, renovations to the Pritchard Wastewater Treatment Plant, a new reservoir for the Walhachin Community Water System, renovations to the North Kamloops Library and a bulk water station in Loon Lake.

Potts says on the whole, TNRD staff are pleased with this year’s budget, given a number of unavoidable cost increases.

“We saw over an 11 per cent increase in our insurance costs,” Potts said. “We have CUPE wage negotiations that make up a pretty significant portion of our budget, and being able to deliver a 5.3 per cent tax increase is quite impressive given the circumstances.”

You can find the entire TNRD 2026-2030 financial plan here and highlights here.