The Regional District currently maintains nine (9) different Development Cost Charge (DCC) and Capital Expenditure Charge (CEC) bylaws which levy charges on new development to pay for new or expanded water and/or sewer infrastructure necessary to adequately service the demands of new development in the communities.

It is considered best practice to conduct a major DCC update at least every five years as a valid DCC bylaw requires current growth assumptions, a reviewed capital program, removal of completed projects, and updated technical calculations. This is particularly important considering that DCCs and CECs are only intended to fund the specific capital infrastructure projects that were used to calculate and establish the charge.

If the infrastructure originally identified to support the imposition of charges has subsequently been built, the DCC or CEC has served its purpose. Given the period in which a majority of the Regional District’s DCC and CEC bylaws were enacted, it is being proposed that the majority of these be repealed.  The exception to this are the DCC and CEC bylaws that apply to Okanagan Falls as it is being proposed that these be retained in order that the future Council of the Okanagan Falls municipality can determine if a review of the charges being applied is warranted.

The Regional District is proposing to continue with a capacity modelling/analysis of the Naramata Water System, which will inform if a new DCC Bylaw for this community is required in future, or if some other form of charge is more appropriate.

DCCs are special levies imposed by a municipality to help pay for the cost of infrastructure enhancements required to service new development.  Although the ongoing cost of maintenance and eventual replacement of existing infrastructure is assessed to the taxpayers, additional burdens for capacity upgrades are placed on existing infrastructure when growth occurs in the community.

New residential commercial, institutional, and industrial development will generate higher demand on water and sewer services.

When a new development is approved for subdivision or construction, the developer will pay for the direct servicing costs to the property, including extensions to water and sewer mains, as needed. However, these direct servicing cost contributions do not address the diminishing capacity of the Regional District’s existing infrastructure.

DCCs provide a mechanism for collecting funds to assist financing of infrastructure needs beyond the development location itself.

The Regional District’s current DCC and CEC bylaws can be accessed at the following links:

Naramata

• Naramata Comprehensive Capital Expenditure Charge (Water) Bylaw No. 443, 1994
  • Map Schedule
• Naramata Water System Development Cost Charge Bylaw No.1804, 1997

 Okanagan Falls

• Okanagan Falls Specified Area Sanitary Sewer System Local Service Establishment Bylaw No. 1239, 1991
• Okanagan Falls Sanitary Sewer Development Cost Charge Bylaw No. 2486, 2009
• Okanagan Falls Water Service Establishment Bylaw No. 2978, 2022
• Okanagan Falls Irrigation District Comprehensive Capital Expenditure Charge Water Bylaw No. 371, 2012

DCC Waiver Bylaw 

• Development Cost Charge Waiver Bylaw No. 2803, 2018

Naramata

• Naramata Water System Capital Plan & DCC Review – Asset Management and Capital Plan Report (2012)
• Naramata DCC Options Analysis (2014)
• Naramata Water Development Cost Charge Bylaw – Draft Background Report (2014)

Okanagan Falls (Sewer)

• Okanagan Falls Sewage Treatment Plant DCC – Implementation Steps (2008)
• Okanagan Falls Sewage Treatment Plant DCC (2013)
• Okanagan Falls Sewage Mater Plan (2024)

Okanagan Falls (Water)

• OK Falls Water Master Plan (2021)

planning@rdos.bc.ca