Yellowknife city councillors are examining whether to shift how much some residents pay for water and sewer, as well as plans for growth around Kam Lake.
Representatives of InterGroup Consultants presented their review of the city’s water and sewer rate structure to city council on Monday. The current structure has been in place since the 1990s.
InterGroup’s David Nightingale said residents on piped water and sewer services, particularly multi-residential and commercial customers, are projected to overpay for those services under the existing rate structure. Residents on trucked services are projected to underpay.
The company has suggested addressing that imbalance through phased changes between 2026 to 2028 that would spread the effect on residents’ utility bills over time.
The report recommends reducing rates by 0.7 percent each year for the average multi-residential customer and 1.7 percent for the average commercial customer, while increasing rates by 9.7 percent annually for the averaged trucked customer over those three years.
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InterGroup also recommended the municipality develop additional sewage disposal charges for trucked customers requiring more than two trips per week, and develop a non-resident bill surcharge for customers that only pay the cost of the commodity and do not contribute to infrastructure costs, among other changes.
More: View the water and sewer presentation deck for council
City councillors have yet to decide whether to change utility rates.
City staff are expected to make a formal recommendation to city council by late June. Councillors will have to decide ahead of the 2026 budget.
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Development in Kam Lake
At Monday’s meeting, councillors also discussed a recommendation from city staff to redesignate a portion of a large lot from the Engle Business District to Kam Lake. Doing so would allow the entire lot to fall under a single land use designation.
Councillors must also decide whether to create a new area development plan for the parcel of city-owned undeveloped land.
Andrew Treger, a city planner, said this is the beginning of the development process for the land.
Treger said there is a need for land that can be developed in the area as Yellowknife is projected to grow by 2,700 people by 2034. He said that growth is expected to fuel economic expansion and job opportunities, particularly in construction, manufacturing and commercial services.
A market study and feedback from residents were presented to council as part of Monday’s briefing package.
The market study indicated “there will be sustained demand for light industrial, commercial and agricultural land in Yellowknife over the next 20 years,” city staff stated in a briefing note.
“The analysis identifies a shortage of available lots for businesses requiring large parcels, staging areas and logistical support.”
An area development plan would set out the formal long-term vision for the empty land, which is west of developed areas in Kam Lake. The city has been working toward this point for the past year.
Councillors asked questions on Monday about wildfire risk, green space and trucked water, which city staff said would be considered in analysis and planning. Staff said there are currently no development plans for the land.
Councillors are expected to continue discussing the proposal at a future meeting.
