Postponed Infrastructure & safety

Fire Department Strategic Plan

A $50,000 long-term plan for the Town's fire department was moved from 2026 to 2027 in July 2025.

Amount
$50,000
Got
$0
Where it stands
To 2027. Moved by the Eaglecrest funding plan, Jul 2025.

What it is

A fire department strategic plan is a long-range plan for a fire service. The Town has not published a description of what this plan would cover.

The plan had $50,000 set for 2026. It was already in the Town's plans for 2026 as of late 2023.

On July 23, 2025, Council moved it from 2026 to 2027 as part of the Eaglecrest funding plan (Resolution 25-180, carried 4–1, Councillor Harrison opposed).

What happened

  1. November 10, 2023A staff table for 2024 strategic planning shows $50,000 for a fire strategic plan in 2026.
  2. 2025The 2025–2029 Financial Plan lists $50,000 in 2026.
  3. July 23, 2025Council moves it from 2026 to 2027 as part of the Eaglecrest funding plan (4–1).
  4. April 1, 2026The 2026–2030 Financial Plan lists $50,000 in 2027.

Why it matters

  • Qualicum Beach Fire Rescue uses a paid-on-call model. It had 32 paid-on-call firefighters in 2025.
  • The department answered 381 calls in 2025. The Town expects about 8% more in 2026.
  • For 2027 to 2030, the Financial Plan says the department will review staffing to make sure it fits the paid-on-call model and the calls it gets.
  • The 2026–2030 Financial Plan says the Town borrowed $542,000 from the Strategic Initiatives Reserve for Eaglecrest, and expects to pay it back in 2027 and 2028 from Eaglecrest land sales. The plan also says work on 2027 and later initiatives depends on that repayment, and Council will set priorities at 2027 strategic planning.

Sources

Last checked September 18, 2026. Report a mistake.