Qualicum Beach's residential tax rate is likely going up 3.5 per cent, as expected when town council passed the 2015 budget last October.
This week, council passed first reading of the tax-rate bylaw which would add $20 to the tax bill for a house worth $400,000.
That number doesn't include taxes collected by the town on behalf of the school district, library, regional district, sewer district and regional hospital, which have not yet been finalized.
The increase was set out in the 2015-2019 financial plan council adopted in October 2014.
"The increase is comprised of a 2.5 per cent increase for inflation and one per cent for the new fire hall," said financial administrator John Marsh.