The Kelowna Fire Department has had their new $1.2-million ladder truck in service for 10 days. John McDonald

Falling loonie costs Kelowna taxpayers extra $180,000 for new fire truck

KELOWNA – By last March, the sagging Canadian dollar had already cost Kelowna taxpayers an extra $130,000 for purchase of a new fire engine from the U.S.

But the loonie has dropped further since and Kelowna Fire Department chief Jeff Carlisle is again asking Kelowna city council to top up the purchase price of the big rig, this time by another $50,000.

The loonie has declined 6.1 per cent since council last amended the fire engine purchase and the closing date of the purchase tender in late August.

In March, the exchange rate was $1.24 CDN rising to $1.32 in August.

In a report to council, Carlisle says a survey by financial surveys forecasts continued turbulence for the Canadian dollar and recommends paying for the fire engine in both Canadian and U.S. funds when the final bill comes due in late 2016.

Council will consider the request at its regular meeting on Nov. 2 at 1:30 p.m. in chambers at City Hall.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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John McDonald

John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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