TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: January 19, 2026 Report No. DEV-26-002
TO: Committee of the Whole
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: High Level Discussion Regarding Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs)
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole recommends to Council that staff be directed to prepare an impact assessment outlining detailed project scope, costs, processes, timelines, staff resources, and risks associated with proceeding with Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs) bylaws.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Development Cost Charges and Amenity Cost Charges represent two tools available to Council to pay for the cost associated with growth. Whether to use these tools requires a thorough understanding of the Township's development capacity and the potential costs of that growth related to infrastructure and amenities. This report provides a general background about these tools including pros and cons. It is important to note that it is very difficult to predict how much money could be generated using these tools without undertaking a thorough analysis - this is particularly true for DCCs. It is also important to note that each municipality has a different set of circumstances that are used to calculate DCCs so comparison with other municipalities must be done with caution. It is also important to note that there are several recently completed studies (e.g. Sanitary Sewer Management Plan and Pavement Asset Management Plan) and a number of studies underway (e.g. Development Capacity Study, Storm Sewer Management Plan, Facilities Master Plan, Facilities Condition Assessment (Part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan for Municipal Buildings), and Recreation Strategic Plan) that will provide key background information necessary for determining the feasibility of using DCCs and ACCs. In essence, much of the work necessary for determining...
Click here for full text