The City of Yellowknife plans to spend $143.3 million in areas such as community services, public safety and capital projects, according to the draft 2024 budget.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the capital projects, though, that are a bit light on details.

The list of eligible projects for this year has been contained to just three pages within the 2024 budget document. A total of $25.4 million is projected for a slew of projects around the city, but there isnSA国际影视传媒檛 much detail on what taxpayers will be getting for their money.

By contrast, the 2023 budget document had dozens of pages related to capital spending with outlines of dollar amounts, project details and time frames for each initiative.

The municipality filled in some blanks on its website in to the draft budget page. There are four pages online giving a brief synopsis of each project this year.

Adrian Bell, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and a former city councillor, said the sparse information about where and how the citySA国际影视传媒檚 money is being spent is disconcerting.

SA国际影视传媒淭here may be a different approach to how the budget has been done, but the lack of detail concerns me,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he public needs to know this information because transparency is important.SA国际影视传媒�

For example, the city has set aside $2.1 million for fleet management with no explanation on what exactly is being done. Another $2.16 million is planned for landfill expansion and nearly $4.5 million is proposed for fire hall renovations and expansion.

Bell said one line item is of particular importance when it comes to the chamber of commerce.

SA国际影视传媒淭he land fund capital projects is set at $2.2 million SA国际影视传媒� what is that?SA国际影视传媒� he asked. SA国际影视传媒淲e have concerns about how development is going to happen in the city and we want to see some details. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the only way to see if things are going in the right direction.SA国际影视传媒�

The citySA国际影视传媒檚 explanation of the land fund involves land acquisition, development and subdivision plans anticipated for the next three years. That fund is important to the chamber, Bell added, because of concerns about proper land use within Yellowknife.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople are wanting to develop new land and we have to do something about the housing crisis we have in the city,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淓veryone is desperate for land and so we want to see whatSA国际影视传媒檚 coming forward to address the needs of the people, but we have no idea.SA国际影视传媒�

Yellowknifer spoke with Coun. Rob Warburton about the perceived lack of information contained with the capital spending plan.

He said many projects are multi-year with some that are called SA国际影视传媒渃arry forwards,SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� items that werenSA国际影视传媒檛 completed in 2023.

SA国际影视传媒淭he multi-year projects are the big ones, such as the fire hall, aquatic centre, the submarine water line, the new lift station,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

He also said heSA国际影视传媒檚 put questions to city administration about why some information wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 included in the budget document.

SA国际影视传媒淚t doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 help the public when you canSA国际影视传媒檛 see where the money is going, but ISA国际影视传媒檝e requested that information and ISA国际影视传媒檓 waiting to hear back,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 want to be clear on where the money is going and I can appreciate that some people who read the budget may not see whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going where. ISA国际影视传媒檓 eagerly awaiting the details and if (administration) havenSA国际影视传媒檛 included the information, ISA国际影视传媒檇 like the rationale.SA国际影视传媒�

Budget deliberations usually involve trying to figure out the difference between needs and wants, said Bell, and councillors canSA国际影视传媒檛 do that if they donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the full picture to make a decision.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e asking themselves whether something is necessary or is it something theySA国际影视传媒檇 like,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f administration isnSA国际影视传媒檛 giving them that information, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no way for councillors to analyze that. They need those details.SA国际影视传媒�

Both Warburton and Bell acknowledged that the evacuation last summer delayed city business for several weeks as resources and people were repurposed to keep the wildfires from reaching city limits.

But Bell said at the end of the day, residents simply need to know.

SA国际影视传媒淎vailable information isnSA国际影视传媒檛 the same as transparency,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Feb. 2 is the deadline for residents to submit input on the citySA国际影视传媒檚 draft budget.