Digging deeper into the Province's $7.2 million grant to Langley City

As was well publicized, the provincial government transferred $1 billion to local governments in BC via their one-time Growing Communities Fund. Langley City is receiving $7,186,000. Langley City received a letter which specified further details about the grant.

The City will be receiving a direct despot on March 31, 2023.

The provincial government will allow local governments to use the grant for the following:

• Water, sewer, solid waste, and stormwater projects
• Local government costs for affordable/attainable housing developments
• Childcare facilities
• Local government projects that service, directly or indirectly, neighbouring First Nation communities
• Public safety/emergency management equipment and facilities (not already funded by the federal or provincial governments.)
• Local road improvements, including sidewalks, cycling infrastructure, and lighting
• Improvements that facilitate transit service
• Natural hazard mitigation
• Parks
• Recreation facilities (including meeting spaces)

What is also interesting is the funding formula based on population and growth. The formula is such that smaller municipalities get higher per capita funding, as do higher-growth communities.

The Province's "population growth" number is determined by subtracting a local government's 2021 population from its 2016 population. The population data is from BC population estimates.

The following shows the Province's formula for divvying the grant.

Population Range	From	To	Adjustment Factor
Very Small	0	2,000	100%
Small	2,001	5,000	80%
Small-Med	5,001	10,000	60%
Medium	10,001	20,000	40%
Large-Med	20,001	40,000	20%
Large	40,001	150,000	10%
Very Large	150,001	900,000	5%

Flat funding of $500,000 +
Adjusted Population x $365 +
Population Growth x $1000

These are Langley City's numbers. Based on BC data, Langley City had a population of 28,963 in 2021 and 25,888 in 2016.

2,000 x 100% = 2,000
3,000 x 80% = 2,400
5,000 x 60% = 3,000
10,000 x 40% = 4,000
8,957 x 20% = 1,791
Total Adjusted Population: 13,191

Population Growth: 28,957 - 27,083 = 1,871

Flat funding of $500,000 +
13,193 x $365 = $4,815,445 +
1,871 x $1000 = $1,871,000
Total: $7,186,445