The SLRD oversees approximately 80 different services across the region. Each of these service’s budgets are protected, meaning the Regional District cannot transfer any taxation monies from one service to another.
The Finance Department determines tax rates for each service based on the approved plans and financial budgets submitted by each department and endorsed by the SLRD Board of Directors, along with most current assessment information available from the BC Assessment Authority. The amount of taxes collected varies from area to area, based on the services that are received.
Regional districts do not have direct taxing authority. Instead, they rely on BC’s Surveyor of Taxes to collect their taxes from property owners in the electoral areas and from member municipalities. Regional districts inform the Surveyor of Taxes and member municipalities of the amount of taxes required to meet the annual budget, which is approved by the regional board each year at the end of March. The tax money is collected by the Surveyor of Taxes and the member municipalities and is forwarded to the regional district.