Burnaby unveils taxhike of3.99%; and7% nextyear

LaurenVanderdeen lvanderdeen@burnabynow com

Burnaby has released a draft of its financial plan for the next five years, and it includes a 3 99 per cent property tax increase

While one city councillor tried to nix the tax hike, it was no more successful than his first attempt at freezing a sewer tax increase

This year’s tax hike is equivalent to a $74 increase for the average residential property (one assessed at $1 3 million) Next year’s increase will be seven per cent

The proposed operating plan is $646 5 million, which will cover additional funding for the RCMP contract increase and E-Comm services, collective agreement wage increases for fire and CUPE staff and other inflationary increases to core services

Continued on page 3

CorneliaNaylor cnaylor@burnabynow com

Police are investigating after a truck reportedly sheared a Burnaby rail crossing signal and then took off before officers arrived

On Monday at about 12:10 p m , a member of the public went to the BC Highway Patrol office in

Burnaby to report there was a truck stuck on the railway crossing at Cariboo and Government roads.

“The truck was gone prior to police arriving on scene,” stated Highway Patrol spokesperson Const Mike Moore “There was significant damage to one of the crossing arms, and it was down across the train track ”

Moore said the CN Police Service is investigating the incident with help from BC Highway Patrol, which is in the process of obtaining and reviewing CCTV footage from businesses in the area

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call 604-526-9744. Refer to file number DF2023-115.

“We would like to take the opportunity to remind motorists to be vigilant at railway crossings, obey any posted signage and drive with care,” Moore said.

The signal standard has been replaced.

A CN worker at the scene told the NOW the intersection at Government and Cariboo is too tight for trucks to make the right-hand turn off Government onto Cariboo when left-turning vehicles are waiting at the second red light on Cariboo across the railway tracks.

The worker said it’s not unusual for impatient truckers to attempt the turn and to damage crossing infrastructure in the process.