Q: Developers are adding thousands of new residents, they should be expected to pay for that growth.
A: Developers are required to pay for the direct infrastructure their project requires as a condition of Rezoning Approval, before DCCs are calculated. DCCs are charged on top.
So while the idea of “growth pays for growth” is commonly quoted, it’s important to understand:
• Project-specific infrastructure is already fully funded through rezoning
• DCCs are additional charges that support future, broader growth
Before construction begins, master-planned communities go through a rezoning process where they commit—through detailed review and negotiation—to deliver and fund the infrastructure and amenities their project requires. This includes roads, utilities, parks, and community spaces, all paid for by the developer and built as part of the project.
These commitments are finalized at rezoning approval and built into the project’s financial framework.
Development Cost Charges (DCCs) are also built in, but these infrastructure costs are additional fees on top. These DCCs can be used to fund broader, city-wide and regional infrastructure, not the specific infrastructure required for an individual project.
Significant increases to any costs (such as DCCs) beyond inflation can disrupt the financial assumptions under which projects were approved.
For example, before paying any DCCs, Inlet District is already delivering:
• $42M in required off-site infrastructure upgrades
• $30.8M in public amenities
• $20M in private amenity space
Q: I heard Metro Vancouver is reducing their DCCs, how does that impact Inlet District?
A: Although this is a positive step with Metro DCCs, unfortunately, the recently approved changes only reduce rates in the near term (with rates expected to go back up beyond 2027). What was approved by Metro Vancouver Board on April 15th, 2025, is a temporary measure, and efforts to restore viability at Inlet District need to be long-term.
Q: Why should the community care if costs go up? That’s the developers problem.
A: Community Amenities are funded through project profit, in other words, through project’s moving forward. When project’s stall, the delivery of promised amenities also stall. Restoring project viability is therefore critical to ensuring amenities can be delivered.
The reality is that projects like Inlet District are financed based on a specific set of costs and expected returns established at the time of rezoning approval
Development Cost Charges are not secured at rezoning, rather they are charged at the rate of the day, at the building permit stage (no in-stream protection for approved projects.)
When Inlet District was approved, the Metro DCC rates per unit were $8530. The Metro DCC rate increase changed this to $22,108/unit (167%), adding $30M of unanticipated costs. While financial models account for typical inflation, material increases beyond inflation significantly impact a project’s viability and its ability to deliver committed amenities. The Metro DCC increases were unanticipated costs that were not included in the analysis. Had these costs been known at the time, the amenity package as approved would not have been delivered as it currently stands.
Q: How are CACs and DCCs collected, and what’s the difference?
A: It is important to distinguish how Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) and Development Cost Charges (DCCs) are collected in Port Moody:
Community Amenity Contributions (CACs)
CACs are set early, when a project is approved at rezoning, and written into a legal agreement.
For Inlet District, CACs were approved in October 2023 and include:
• $10.2M for parks and greenways
• $6.0M for a pedestrian overpass
• $8.1M in cash
• $4.8M for public art
• $1.7M in civic amenity space
These amounts are locked in at approval (and will be adjusted for inflation).
Development Cost Charges (DCCs)
In contrast, DCC rates are applied at time of Building Permit Issuance for each respective building. These amounts are based on rates in effect at that time. For Inlet District, all projects with the exception of Phase A (Building 1 and 2) will be subject to any new proposed rates as they are not expected to receive Building Permits until 2027 or later.
This is why in-stream protection for approved master-planned communities is so important. Once rezonings are approved and major infrastructure and community amenity contributions have been negotiated and secured, projects should be protected from significant cost increases beyond inflation. Without this protection, there is a real risk to project delivery—and delays to the housing, amenities, and infrastructure communities are expecting.
Q: Why is Wesgroup proposing another tower instead of adding height to the three towers along Balmoral?
A: The proposed design reflects both the vision set out in the Official Community Plan (OCP) and practical considerations related to delivering the project.
First, the OCP for the Inlet District—shaped through extensive public engagement—envisions a mix of housing types, including both tower forms and ground-oriented homes within podiums. This differs from areas like Coquitlam’s Coronation Heights, where density is more concentrated in standalone towers.
Second, building size and form are important factors in ensuring a project can be financed and delivered. Podiums typically contain approximately 150–200 units, and when combined with taller towers, the overall scale can become challenging to bring to market, as larger buildings require higher presale absorption to meet financing requirements.
Distributing density across an additional tower (Building 9) helps manage these risks and supports a more feasible and timely delivery of housing and amenities.
While adding height to the Balmoral towers was explored, the proposed podium-and-tower approach better aligns with both the community vision and the practical realities of delivering the project
Q: Why were the trees removed at Coronation Park?
A: The Inlet District master plan provides a number of community benefits, including a 2.62 acre park at the center of the site as well as 1.5 acres of publicly accessible pathways, and new bike lanes. With a 100-foot grade change between Balmoral Drive and Ioco Road, significant regrading is required to allow for the construction of the park and pathways. Professional arborist studies confirmed that trees cannot survive grade changes, soil disruption, or loss of neighboring trees that provide structural support, and arborist guidance concluded that relocation or selective retention of onsite trees would not be viable. As a result, the current trees on site must be removed. However, 873 trees will be planted on site, which is an increase of 218 trees.
We know how important greenspace is to the community, which is why we have designed the development around a 2.62 acre park that will be City-owned. At the time of the OCP amendment, the previous Council voted to remove the internal roads to allow for the park at the center of the project and also directed that all the parking be below grade. Tree removal was an understood necessity at the time of this decision. To construct and deliver this park and to accommodate the below grade parking, significant regrading of the site must take place and the on-site trees must be removed. In addition to the new trees, Inlet District will feature 1.5 acres of publicly accessible pathways. Again, as part of the redevelopment, we will be planting 873 trees on the site – a net gain of 218 trees compared to the pre-construction total of 655 trees. The new development will be following the canopy coverage targets required under the City’s Urban Forest Management Strategy.