Concerns over potential debt, a parkade for Pandosy Street and budgets prompted three councillors to vote against the city鈥檚 10-Year Capital Plan.

It proposes spending $2.57 billion over the next ten years on infrastructure to support growth, improve services, and renew existing assets. Financial Services Director Joe Sass told council at its Sept. 9 meeting that council nor the public will be asked to approve any debt this year or next. 

鈥淟ikely not until 2028-2029, assuming we deliver 100 per cent of this plan, we would be talking about maintaining the pace of the plan and debt that would be required to do that.鈥� 

Councillor Gord Lovegrove was still concerned funds would need to be borrowed five years out.

鈥淩ight around the time we鈥檙e going to need to worry about other transit and active transportation corridor needs,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 going to be where the squeeze comes in.鈥�

A parkade for South Pandosy, estimated at $15 million, was a concern for Coun. Loyal Wooldridge, who asked staff if the project was fully costed.

鈥淥r are we going to expect in the capital plan next year that comes back at $35 million? We have this new parkade, to me, being added to the plan that we haven鈥檛 discussed and we don鈥檛 have a design for or a fund development for.鈥�

Parking Services Manager Dave Duncan told council a design process for the parkade will be done over the next year.

鈥淥ur hope is we can look at some sort of partnership or mixed-use facility and combine it with something other than a stand-alone parkade.鈥�

Coun. Ron Cannan pointed out that funding projects in the 10-Year Capital Plan are based on a five year budget.

鈥淚 have a different vision for the city and have real concerns for the present plan and couldn鈥檛 in good conscience support the proposed 10-Year Capital Plan.鈥�

Mayor Tom Dyas noted the capital plan comes back to council every year and that debt can be used to the city鈥檚 advantage.

鈥淭he idea of being able to borrow to some degree on debt is a good thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t allows us to advance projects at a cost that would be substantially less than waiting.鈥�

It鈥檚 basically a major plan and overview of infrastructure to advance items, Dyas added.

Council voted to approve the 10-Year Capital Plan with Wooldridge, Lovegrove and Cannan opposed.