The Sea to Sky Regional Hospital District (SSRHD) has approved a budget with a 50-per-cent tax requisition rate for residents of Whistler, Pemberton, 麻豆社国产and the rest of Squamish-Lillooet Regional District Areas C and D—resulting in a tax increase of $4.374 per $100,000 of assessed property value.
The hospital board was initially presented with a 25-per-cent increase during a Jan. 29 meeting, but asked staff to prepare the 50-per-cent requisition after considering capital expenditures for the year ahead, as well as future upgrades to health-care services across the Sea to Sky.
“I think the direction here is appropriate, given the amount of investment that we know is forthcoming in our health-care facilities and the demand that’s [going to be] put on hospital districts," said SSRHD director Jenna Stoner.
The 2025 budget covers a Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) request to fund 40 per cent of the cost of a digital X-ray system in the Pemberton Health Centre (PHC) and replacement of portable X-rays in 麻豆社国产General Hospital and the PHC—amounting to $814,535 from the SSRHD.
It also includes one million for a Community Hub in the new . The proposed hub aims to “bring together [Sea to Sky Community Services Society] programs, services and partnerships that strengthen people and help build a healthier, more connected and better supported community for everyone.” One hurdle to clear is an SSHRD rule that only permits financial contributions to facilities designated as a health/medical facility by the Ministry of Health, according to staff. Harrow Road has not yet obtained that designation, and it’s unclear how far along Sea to Sky Community Services is in the process of obtaining it.
A separate report on how the board can support Harrow Road in obtaining the necessary designation to initiate the transfer of $1,000,000 earmarked in the 2025 budget is anticipated at the SSHRD’s March meeting. Director Jenna Stoner and Pemberton Mayor Mike Richman reiterated their support for the hub.
Despite the increase in tax requisition, the Sea to Sky’s hospital tax rate remains comparatively low. A report from staff, presented during the January SSRHD meeting, showed other regional hospital districts’ requisition rates compared to the 2025 Sea to Sky requisition.
Stoner thanked staff for coming back with the requested 50-per-cent increase. She also acknowledged concerns about over-taxing residents.
“I appreciate that times are tight throughout the corridor for many of our families, and so I do struggle with often the idea of taxing now for a project that is not necessarily identified in our budget, but I do think that building up our reserves is important so we are at the ready when VCH and the province come forward with their master plan and we can start to invest in a bigger way in health-care facilities through the corridor,” she told the hospital board.
Richman continued to express concern over the 50-per-cent increase, while acknowledging the need to build up funds towards those future expenditures.
“I agree with this direction,” he told the board. “I just find it’s a bit of a steep trajectory that we’ve taken, and that’s why I’ve taken the position that I have but I do think that it’s important we catch up in our taxation and build our reserves.”
The budget ultimately passed.
The SSRHD does not directly tax properties. Instead, it .
