City council has adopted its anticipated capital budget expenditures for 2021 through to the end of 2024.

The capital budget for 2021 includes $31 million in money already confirmed with an additional $21.4 million in projects requiring external funding that still has to be approved.

The bylaw required to adopt the three-year capital expenditure program received second and third readings at council’s meeting on Monday.

Of the $31 million in confirmed spending, $9.1 is coming from city reserves, and the rest is flowing from external sources such as federal gas tax funding.

The variety of projects identified for next year includes the replacement of the Robert Service Campground building at an estimated cost of $2.9 million.

There’s $250,000 to conduct an election pilot project for next October’s municipal election.

Another $350,000 has been identified to expand the waste heat recovery system at the Canada Games Centre, and $1.2 million is earmarked for the replacement of transit buses.

There’s also $75,000 for the installation of a biomass heating system at the transit building on Tlingit Street in the Marwell industrial subdivision.

The funding yet to be approved includes $650,000 for improvements to the west shore area of Schwatka Lake and $430,500 for a new ice surfacer.

Council was also asked to approve a capital budget amendment for 2020 by reducing anticipated expenditures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the third-quarter variance report, staff identified issues such as a lack of access to contractors and consultants, supply chain issues and staff capacity issue.

The third-quarter variance report presented to council Monday for the annual operating and maintenance budget has identified a deficit of $640,101 to the end of the year.

The report notes anticipated revenues are expected to be $2.35 million under budget while expenses are expected to be $1.71 under budget.

“A tracking system was implemented to monitor direct costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says to the report.

“Additional costs to the City in the form of unrealized revenues have been forecasted to the end of the year based on actual losses and the current phase of reopening in the Yukon. Some expense reductions resulted from delaying hiring of seasonal or casual employees and through the cancellation of hosted events.”

City council normally delivers its annual operating budget in January. The budget contains the annual property tax increases.

The six comments received on the proposed capital expenditure program for the next three years ranged from the city’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to support for new household waste bins to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.