Environment Canterbury has released its draft ten year plan and is proposing a 24.5 percent increase in rates.

Chair Jenny Hughey said the organisation is ordered by “central government to not just stop any decline in our environment, but to actively improve it for future generations.”

The total contribution from rates could be up to 24.5% more than for the current year.

Another option would see rates increase by 18%.

These percentages represent average increases of $136.06 and $110.55 respectively per ratable property.

Environment Canterbury prefers the first option to tackle “protecting and improving freshwater, including implementing central government’s new ‘Essential Freshwater’ package, reducing emissions via a well-utilised, lower emission public transport network.”

The money would also be use for “COVID-19 economic recovery work, including pest control. flood protection and infrastructure, climate change and community resilience, active regeneration of the natural environment and tree planting programme, building community engagement (including youth engagement) and alignment with other agencies, data collecting, sharing information and knowledge for optimal decision-making.”

Christchurch City Councillors James Gough, Sam MacDonald, Catherine Chu, Aaron Keown, Phil Mauger and James Daniels have released a joint statement saying “this is a completely unsustainable rise, and will further hit the back pockets of hard working ratepayers – at a time when the Public sector should be looking to drive efficiency.”

“It’s very clear elected Councillors will need to go back to the drawing board urgently, and insist that staff work with them to reduce this increase significantly, it sets a terrible precedent for future years.”

”With Christchurch City Council meeting today to discuss the Long Term Plan, without financial discipline at both organisations the average household could see a combined increase in excess of $250. This will not help Christchurch recover post Covid-19.”

“If Councils and Government impose these sizeable increases it will drive our economy to hyperinflation.”