Union Bay Improvement District: 2021 Conversion

The consultant worked with CVRD and UBID staff to review the potential costs for conversion to the Regional District, and determined that the “apples to apples” impacts of conversion is estimated to be cost neutral, with a potential cost savings depending on overall labour costs. Cost savings include deleting the expenditures for UBID Trustees, leasing and operations costs of the UBID Administration office, and salary and benefits for the UBID Administrator. This is offset by additional CVRD support services costs of approximately 4-5% of total expenditures for each service category (water, fire protection, and street lighting) as well as increased costs for the new water treatment plant and union collective agreement.

Regardless of conversion, 2021 was anticipated to see additional costs for UBID ratepayers, including additional operating costs for the new water treatment plant (commissioned in Spring 2020), additional labour costs due to the new union collective agreement (ratified by UBID in Fall 2020), and costs for infrastructure renewal and replacement as part of a comprehensive Asset Management Plan.

The fire department will continue to operate with the same team, and from the same fire hall. Union Bay Fire Rescue volunteers will continue to serve the Union Bay community, now supported by the CVRD.

Once conversion is complete the CVRD will work with the Union Bay fire department to plan for procurement of the new fire truck required by 2025.

Visit the new Union Bay Fire Department website

All capital assets (e.g. infrastructure, buildings, equipment) and land owned by UBID was transferred to the CVRD for the purpose of the service that is being provided (e.g. water, fire, street lighting). Langley Lake Dam and associated water licenses were transferred to the CVRD for the purpose of providing water service to the residents and ratepayers in Union Bay. In addition, all liabilities were also transferred to the CVRD, including the long-term debt on the water treatment plant.

The CVRD inherited the borrowing arrangements that UBID had in place at the time of conversion. If more favourable terms become available through the CVRD and the Municipal Finance Authority (MFA), those options will be pursued.

Were the community of Union Bay to incorporate as a municipality at some future date, all local services, along with the related assets and liabilities, would similarly be transferred from the regional district to the new municipality. This would include water licenses used to draw water supply and any water licenses or capital reserve funds that are accounted for in the capital plans for that water service.

The May-June bi-monthly water service billing will be issued by the CVRD in mid-July. You will be issued a new customer account number with the CVRD in this bill.

The CVRD is looking to revise Union Bay’s current bi-monthly billing cycle to a quarterly billing to follow other water utility billings. This change could occur in either fall 2021 or early 2022. More information in the coming months to residents.

You can pay your bill any of the following ways:

• By Phone (250-334-6000) using Visa/Mastercard
• Online, telephone or in-person via your financial institution
• Mail to the CVRD main office (770 Harmston Ave., Courtenay V9N 0G8)
• Drop off at the CVRD or a drop box coming to the Union Bay Market.

No. The CVRD does not have a pre-authorized payment plan. You can pay your bill any of the following ways:

• By Phone (250-334-6000) using Visa/Mastercard
• Online, telephone or in-person via your financial institution
• Mail to the CVRD main office (770 Harmston Ave., Courtenay V9N 0G8)
• Drop off at the CVRD or a drop box coming to the Union Bay Market.