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Read All Latest NewsCity of Langford Negotiates Lower Sewer Fees to Reduce Utility Costs and Support Housing Affordability
(Langford, B.C.): The City of Langford is making changes to its sewer services agreement that will reduce upfront and ongoing costs, helping to make housing and utility costs more affordable for residents, developers, and future home owners.
After feedback from developers and residents concerned with the upfront and ongoing costs of sewer services, the City has worked directly with the City’s service provider, West Shore Environmental Services (WSES), over the last two years to deliver meaningful change. Through a complex negotiation process, the parties have drafted a series of proposed changes that will significantly reduce upfront and annual costs of sewer services. These changes are aimed at helping ease cost-of-living pressures for residents and creating a more equitable financial framework for the utility, while lowering financial barriers to housing development in the community.
At the In Camera meeting on June 22, 2026, Council approved proposed amendments to its agreement with WSES that will deliver meaningful reductions to Sewer Capital Recovery Fees (SCRFs), which are the sewer charges applied to new development or new connections, elimination of the Incremental Storage Improvement Fee (ISIF), as well as lower ongoing sewer user fees.
Under the Council approved changes:
- SCRFs are expected to decrease by approximately 50%, a savings of approximately $5000 per SCRF effective January 1, 2026, lowering the cost of building new homes in Langford;
- Applicants who have paid higher fees since that date would receive a partial refund once the updated agreement is finalized;
- Effective on signing the agreement, the $495.00 Incremental Storage Improvement Fee (ISIF) would be eliminated; and
- Effective for 2027, the sewer user fee, charged annually, will decrease by approximately 20%, reducing ongoing costs for residents.
The City is taking direct action to address affordability challenges. Lower development costs will help to bring more housing supply to market and will reduce pressure on home prices. Reduced sewer user fees provide financial relief for households burdened with the ongoing cost of living crisis.
“For too long, the way the current contract was structured resulted in current ratepayers paying more than their fair share while the SCRF and ISIF fees made it more costly to build the housing our community needs. These changes help reset that. We’re removing barriers so homes can be built more affordably, while making sure costs are shared fairly across generations. This approach supports our developers and builders, reduces financial pressure on residents, and helps ensure Langford remains a place where people can afford to live at every stage of life,” said Scott Goodmanson, Mayor of Langford.
The proposed amendments better reflect how sewer infrastructure is funded and maintained over time. Under the terms of the current agreement, the purchase price at the end of the term (2046) is $1, which requires existing developers and ratepayers to pay the entire infrastructure costs during the remaining term. With the proposed amendments, the City would purchase the assets at the end of the contract for a value that reflects the assets remaining useful life, paid for by the sewer user fees at the reduced rates over the life of the utility.
Financial modelling shows that the adjusted purchase price will be approximately $52M. Importantly, the financial modelling also shows that the sewer utility is able to keep user rates at the reduced amounts and that the sewer utility will remain self-funding at the proposed rates over the life of the asset. Therefore, general property taxation would not be required to subsidize the utility (the sewer utility’s revenues will continue to cover costs).
The proposed framework is reflected in a term sheet signed by both parties, which establishes the key principles and agreed-upon terms for the updated agreement. The City thanks West Shore Environmental Services (WSES) for their partnership and will continue working with WSES and legal counsel to finalize the contract in the coming weeks.
To support public understanding, the City will post a Frequently Asked Questions document on its website and continue to provide updates as the agreement is finalized and more information becomes available.
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