Canterbury ratepayers are facing a 5.8% rates hike from the regional council.

Environment Canterbury approved its 2025/26 annual plan at a council meeting on Wednesday, June 25, confirming an average rates rise of 5.8 percent.

ECan chairperson Craig Pauling said he was pleased with the outcome after reducing the rates increase from the 15.5% hike signalled in the 2025/26 Long Term Plan (LTP).

‘‘If the Government had to do what we have to do with our budget, I would like to see them try.’’

Proposed Government reforms to the Resource Management Act may result in changes to the way regional councils operate, but Pauling said staff needed to keep on track with work.

This included reviewing the Canterbury Regional Coastal Environment Plan - which outlines how to manage and protect coastal resources - and prepare for an integrated regional plan.

‘‘The new RMA might dictate something different, but the arguments aren’t going to go away, so we need to do the work.’’

The adoption of the annual plan was backed by 15 councillors, with only Mid Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie voting against it.

But concern was expressed at the council running at a budget deficit.

Councillor Clare McKay said she while she supported adopting the annual plan, she could not support ‘‘unbalanced budgets’’.

Deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs also opposed the deficit, but acknowledged the work of staff in reducing the projected deficit signalled in the LTP.

Cr Peter Scott said he sympathised with his colleagues’ concerns about the deficit.

‘‘The circumstances have been trying and we have some challenging times ahead.’’

Cr Grant Edge reminded councillors the 2024/34 Long Term Plan was adopted signalling two years of deficits before returning to a budget surplus in 2026/27.

Meanwhile, Cr Mackenzie said he remained concerned the rates burden was falling disproportionately on Ashburton and Selwyn district ratepayers.

While he was comfortable with spending more on biodiversity projects, he said this could be funded by cutting non-core business such as Enviroschools (a youth environmental action programme) and Youth Rōpū (providing a youth voice on local decisions), which he said was "not much more than the youth wing of the Green Party’’.

Pauling said the council is continuing river resilience work, after committing to investing $25 million a year over 10 years to improve flood management across the region.

Public transport investment across Greater Christchurch is continuing, despite a funding cut in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme.

Standard adult fares will increase from $2 to $3 from July, with increases for child fares, total mobility card holders and community service card holders.

A two-zone fare structure in be introduced in February, with Waimakariri and Selwyn bus users paying $3 to travel within their own own district and $4 to travel into Christchurch.

By David Hill