Vancouver taxpayers could be on the hook for a steep property tax hike next year, but the city’s mayor says he’s determined to prevent that – putting the onus on staff to find solutions to keep taxes low. On Wednesday, Mayor Ken Sim tabled a successful motion that asked staff to prepare a budget for 2026 based on three scenarios: A 2.5-per-cent property tax increase, a 1.5-per-cent property tax increase, and a zero-per-cent property tax increase. “I think we owe it to the residents and everyone in Vancouver to look at ways of tightening our belt.” Sim said. “That way, we can make life more affordable for Vancouverites.” 7-per-cent increase The request comes following a staff report presented to council Wednesday that outlined property tax increase projections ranging from five to six per cent for 2026, with an additional one per cent to address the city’s infrastructure deficit. Colin Knight, the city’s general manager of finance and supply chain management, said global economic volatility, tariffs and inflationary pressures are creating a challenging environment for the city. Knight added staffing is one of the city’s highest expenditures. He said, from 2022 to 2025, the city added around 800 positions. “The major contributors were in police services, which would be related to the staffing growth that council funded, and in engineering services, which would primarily be focused on delivery of capital plan,” he said. ‘What are the tradeoffs?’ On Wednesday, Green Party Coun. Pete Fry tabled an amendment to the mayor’s motion, citing a need for transparency. The amendment would have directed staff to consider and articulate any cuts to current service levels, but it was defeated. “It sounds great, a zero-per-cent tax increase,” he said. “But what are the tradeoffs? The public deserves to know.” Independent Coun. Rebecca Bligh echoed Fry’s sentiments. “If fiscal responsibility is his priority, he ought to be able to answer some of these questions about what the actual impacts will be in putting forward, essentially, what is an austerity budget.” Fry, Bligh and COPE Coun. Sean Orr abstained from voting for Sim’s motion. Sim defended his ABC party’s decision not to support Fry’s amendment by saying the process is already transparent and that staff will prepare a thorough report. “The residents of Vancouver will have ample opportunity to digest and, you know, debate these topics,” he said. Last year, city council approved a 3.9-per-cent property tax hike.
