Letterbox: Port Moody residents deserve a transparent discussion about paying for the city’s future

Dear editor,

As the discussion around DCCs (Development Cost Charges), growth, and infrastructure funding continues in Port Moody, it is important that residents understand the full range of policy tools already available to municipalities.

Mayor Lahti’s April 3 Facebook post on DCCs appears to frame the issue largely around balancing support for vulnerable residents with concerns about increasing DCC rates.

Under the Local Government Act, municipalities already have the ability to waive or reduce DCCs for non-profit and transitional housing. Nearby municipalities such as Burnaby have also adopted targeted DCC and ACC (Amenity Cost Charge) waiver programs for non-market and supportive housing projects.

That is why many residents are questioning why these options were not more clearly presented and reviewed before council referred the DCC issue back to staff again after not adopting the recommended increases.

Residents are not simply asking whether fees should go up or down. They are asking how Port Moody plans to pay for the roads, parks, utilities, and services needed to support the level of growth already being approved — while still protecting affordable and transitional housing.

Respectful disagreement on these issues should not be dismissed as ignorance or opposition to growth. Residents deserve a transparent discussion of all available tools, trade-offs, and long-term impacts before major policy decisions are delayed or reconsidered.

Sincerely,

Debbie Oster
Port Moody resident