After months of intensive planning and analysis, City Administration presents the provisional budget and any supplemental budget items to the Committee of the Whole in November. This begins a review and approval process that includes an in-person public information session and engagement through the City’s LetsTalk.Kamloops.ca website. The Committee of the Whole debates and proposes changes to the budget during several regular meetings. Early in the new year, supplemental business cases identified by staff and the community are brought for consideration at a regular Council meeting. Once the final budget implications are known, Administration drafts a bylaw to set property tax rates, which is adopted by Council at another regular Council meeting. Property tax notices go out in the spring, and Administration publishes the finalized five-year financial plan shortly thereafter. 

The provisional budget outlines the revenue required to fund all city programs and services as well as projects already included in the previous year’s five-year financial plan, based on approved service levels. It also reflects any additions or changes that Council has approved since the last plan was adopted. Any new projects not yet approved by Council or changes to programs or services that would result in a service level increase or decrease are presented separately in supplemental business cases for Council’s consideration. 

Supplemental business cases often outline changes anticipated later in the five-year forecast, giving residents and Council time to help shape future planning.