Скачать или смотреть City budget proposal unworldly - Huge increase of 10.44% among highest in BC

How does the proposed increase in the city’s total budget compare to those already approved or current budget asks of the larger cities in BC?

Not well at all.

Five cities have already approved their budget for 2026 and include Chilliwack (4.9%), Delta (2.9%), City of Langley (5.82%), Kelowna (4.37%), and Coquitlam (3.37%).

As yet, there’s no budget proposal from Surrey and Abbotsford: Surrey is trying to grapple with their police budget following the provincial decision to move forward with the transition to the Surrey Police Service. Abbotsford has delayed deliberations until February as a result of proposed changes to pipeline property tax assessments.

There are six other cities working on their latest proposed budget increases which include City of North Vancouver (2.9%), Maple Ridge (3.5%), Nanaimo (6.3%), Richmond (3.04%), Kamloops (6.7%), Burnaby (4.8%), and Vancouver (0%).

Neighbouring Saanich initially proposed a hike of 8.74%, but the revised goal is less than 5%.

Then there is Victoria (which seemingly operates in a different galaxy far, far away) asking for a startling 10.44%.

The city staff report in the fall suggested nearly $18.3 million in savings by re-evaluating operational efficiencies over a five-year plan got a muted response from council.

Of the more than 200 services and programs provided by the city, are there some that can be eliminated or privatized? How can a doubling of staff to 34 since 2021 in the department of people and culture be justified?

What are the staff costs to regulate short-term rentals properties as a result of new provincial legislation? Can some budget costs be attributed to lawsuits against the city? How much revenue is foregone because of unpaid parking tickets?

Often the outliers in the province, why-oh-why is the mayor and council asking for a gut-wrenching hike of 10.44%?