Cumberland Council has approved the Village鈥檚 2025 to 2029 financial plan that prioritizes community needs, including safer roads, better services, active transportation, and more effective bylaw enforcement.
鈥淥ur role as Council is to balance the maintenance of essential services while advancing the strategic priorities that shape Cumberland鈥檚 future. This year鈥檚 budget reflects how we鈥檙e working to achieve that balance,鈥� says Mayor Vickey Brown. 鈥淔or a small community, Cumberland is achieving some truly big things. We are passionately independent, and our shared values and responsibilities keep Council focused on building a resilient future for our community. This budget is more than numbers - it鈥檚 a reflection of our shared goals and a commitment to building a strong, thriving Cumberland.鈥�
Some of the highlights of the budget include: road and underground utility line upgrades on Penrith Avenue from First to Third Street; First Street from Penrith to Windermere; and sewer line replacement for the lane South of Ulverston from Fourth to Third Street.
Traffic safety improvements on Maryport and Kendal Avenues; Ulverston Avenue will see a new sidewalk on the school route; and the west end of Dunsmuir Avenue will receive gateway traffic calming.
New debris booms at Allen Lake and Stevens Lake drinking water reservoirs; the dam at the No.2 drinking water reservoir will begin reconstruction to improve seismic stability, using funding from senior government grants. A review of utility rates and connections fees.
Installation of a community playground at Solport Park; parks and recreation planning; day use area expansion at Cumberland Lake Park.
Continued partnerships with community organizations to provide high quality community services, including the youth centre, trail maintenance, Lake Park operations, the Cumberland Museum, Victoria Day celebrations, and the Village Square concert series.
A new parks mower; debt payments for a new First Responder (medical) vehicle. A new manager of bylaw and building services who will enhance processes for bylaw compliance, building permits, and business licensing.
More planning for the long-term civic redevelopment of municipal buildings on Dunsmuir Avenue, which would include housing components.
The high cost of many of these service investments are well beyond the fiscal means of Village taxpayers, and Council members are listening to concerns about growth, increasing costs, and long-term sustainability of service infrastructure. To make the most of taxpayer money, the Village carefully plans, saves, invests, and applies for grants to fund projects.
鈥淏ecause we have been so successful with this strategy, this year we were able to reduce contributions to the Policing Reserve, freeing up $150,000 annually for current services 鈥� a decision that reduced this year鈥檚 potential tax increase by 5% while maintaining enough reserves for future needs,鈥� says Mayor Brown.
The adopted financial plan includes an increase to property tax revenues of 7.83%. The plan also includes an increase to parcel tax revenues that is necessary for the replacement of sewer, storm and water utility lines and for water system capital debt; as well as increases to the quarterly utility fees for solid waste collection, water system and sewer system operations. The overall impact to an average single-family dwelling is a 7.29% increase for 2025.
While parcel taxes have dropped slightly in 2025, residents can expect future increases due to an expected rise in interest rates for the water system capital debt. Unlike Comox and Courtenay, which pay the regional district to operate their drinking water and sewer system, the Village of Cumberland operates its own sewer and water treatment facilities.
The overall impact to an average single-family dwelling translates to an increase of $21 per month or $250 for the year. This amount does not include any increases for taxes collected by the Village for services provided by other taxing authorities, including school, policing, regional services, hospital and library.
