The City of Whitehorse is moving closer to rebudgeting $63.5 million planned to be spent in 2017 to this year instead.

At the March 26 council meeting, members passed the first two readings of the bylaw for the rebudget.

Coun. Samson Hartland commented that it’s important to be aware of the impact rebudgeting and bringing projects forward from one year to the next may have.

It could mean a very busy year for contractors, with a number of projects happening around town.

Already, he noted, the city will spend more than it had planned on the rebuilding of Alexander Street, with Castle Rock Enterprises awarded the $2.89-million contract for the work.

Hartland voted in favour of the budget changes to move the projects not completed in 2017 into this year.

However, he noted he was going in “with eyes wide open” on the matter.

A total of 78 projects were outlined to be carried forward to this year.

The lowest amount proposed for rebudget would be $1,592 for a nearly-completed effort on flush tank valves, batteries and inverter in Porter Creek.

It’s expected that will be finished in July. The total cost – including what was spent last year – is listed at $4,936.

Meanwhile, the highest cost, and the main reason behind such a large rebudget, is the new operations building that’s under construction off Range Road, with $46.2 million moving from 2017 to 2018.

“Work is in progress; this is a multi-year project,” it was highlighted in the chart provided to council listing the projects.

“Rebudget funds to be spent on construction of operations building. Completion date of 2019/2020.”

A total of $51.9 million is expected to be spent on the project.

Lindsay Schneider, the city’s manager of financial services, told council at an earlier meeting that many of the projects on the list were not finished in 2017.

That’s because:

• they are multi-year initiatives;

• the availability of staff, consultants and contractors;

• delays due to contract awards, co-ordination of efforts and external approvals; and

• goods were ordered but did not come in prior to the end of the year.

“Of the $62.5 million in budget requests, $11.4 million is related to projects that were previously identified as coming from the appropriate city reserves,” Schneider stated in her report.

“The balance – $51.1 million – is related to projects with funding identified from outside funding sources like gas tax and government grants.”