Cranbook
Development Cost Charges Update
Introduction
Cranbrook is growing, and with growth comes the demand for new or upgraded infrastructure to serve our community, such as roads, parks, water systems and other essential services. The costs to provide these services can be partly funded through Development Cost Charges (DCCs).
The City of Cranbrook is currently undertaking a comprehensive update of the Development Cost Charges.
What are DCCs?
Development Cost Charges (DCCs) are fees the City collects from land developers and property owners when new homes, buildings or additions are built. These fees help fund the infrastructure and services our community needs as it grows.
When a developer builds a new subdivision, they cover the costs of the roads, sewer systems, water systems and other services within that subdivision. But growth also puts pressure on city-wide infrastructure, such as:
- Expanding the sewage treatment plant
- Upgrading major water lines
- Adding traffic signals
Creating or expanding parks
DCCs are one of the tools that the City uses to help fund these types of upgrades, which benefit the entire community.
What do DCCs help pay for?
The City’s DCCs help fund the infrastructure that keeps our city livable and safe, including:
- Water
- Sanitary sewer
- Storm drainage
- Transportation
- Parkland and limited park development
Who pays DCCs?
DCCs apply to many types of development, including:
- New subdivisions
- Townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes or apartment buildings
- Commercial or industrial building expansions
- Homeowners building a separate accessory dwelling unit
Why are DCCs important?
As our community grows, so does the demand on roads, water, sewer and parks. DCCs ensure that development helps pay for the infrastructure needed to support it, so the cost doesn’t fall entirely on existing taxpayers.
Background
The City’s existing DCC Bylaw was last updated in 2022. Since then, costs have increased and the City has completed new planning work, including:
- New Official Community Plan
- Downtown Revitalization Master Plan
- Sanitary Master Plan
- Water Master Plan amended (fire flows added)
- New Transportation Master Plan
- New Provincial Legislation encouraging infill: secondary suites, accessory dwelling units and 3-4 units
- Updated growth projections prescribed by new BC Housing Needs Assessment Interim Report
- Growth rate alignment with concurrent capital project modelling reflecting infrastructure needs and costs.
- Addition of more DCC-eligible projects
The City currently collects DCCs for water, roads, sanitary sewers, storm drainage and parks. These existing DCCs now need to be updated to match the City’s most recent plans, projected growth and infrastructure requirements.
Process
The City is working with a team from Urban Systems on the DCC bylaw update. The DCC bylaw is being undertaken in 4 phases:
- Phase 1 - Growth Projections and Projects (completed Spring 2025)
- Phase 2 - Prepare Rates and DCC Report (Summer/Fall 2025)
- Phase 3 - Consultation and Engagement (Winter 2025)
- Phase 4 - DCC Finalization and approval by Inspector of Municipalities (2026)
Work to Date
To date, the project team has competed the following items:
- City of Cranbrook growth projections
- Updates to DCC charging categories
- Updated list of projects and updates to costs from the infrastructure plans
- Draft DCC rates and options
- Impacts of using assist factors
- Consideration of DCC waivers and reductions
- A comparison of DCC rates across various types of communities.
This information is set out in the September 15th 2025 Committee of the Whole presentation.
Council had further discussion on topics at their September 29th meeting, including the following:
- Including or not including a suite in the low density residential DCC rate
- Increasing the building permit DCC exemption to $120,000
- Considering removing certain projects from the DCC project list
- Considering various level of DCC assist factors
- Including waivers and reductions in the DCC bylaw
- Starting engagement on the DCC bylaw
Links:
- September 15th Committee of the Whole Presentation
- September 29th Council Meeting Report
- September 29th Council Meeting Recording (skip to 27:00 for start of DCC discussion)
Provide your Input
The City would like to hear your thoughts on Development Cost Charges. We’d like to know:
- Who should pay for growth?
- What are your thoughts on the proposed increases to DCCs?
- How much more would you be willing to pay to reduce the DCCs paid by developers and builders?
- What are your thoughts on waiving DCCs for not-for-profit or affordable rental housing?
And more!
Online Survey
Complete the online survey by January 31, 2025. Click here to access.
All residents are invited to participate in the survey linked above. A survey will also be mailed out to a random sample of Cranbrook residents.
Holiday Winter Market
Visit the project team at their booth at the Winter Market to learn more, ask questions and share your thoughts.
- Saturday, November 29 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Western Financial Place
Development Community Engagement
The project team will be inviting members of the development community to participate in a meeting in the coming months. If you are a developer or builder and would like to receive an invitation, please contact Curtis Penson, Manager of Engineering, at [email protected].
Let us know what you think about our new site!
