Burnaby increases property taxes

City council approved Burnaby’s financial plan for 2024-2028, and in it, there will be an increase of 4.5% on property taxes, compared to a 3.99% increase in 2023. According to a video presentation during council’s meeting on Jan. 29, this increase represents an additional $87 for the average Burnaby residential property. 

The presentation added that this increase is due to additional funding requirements for community safety needs, such as fire services, RCMP, and emergency communication contracts, as well as wage increases; materials increase, other contracts, and inflationary pressures. 

Coun. Richard Lee opposed the financial plan, saying, “I’ve received quite a lot of feedback from our residents, and the majority actually don’t agree with the 4.5% increase. So I think, is it possible to modify this plan for this year? And I think, for next year, consultation should be taken into account in setting the final financial plan.” 

He added that the city’s current financial position seems healthy, while small business owners and homeowners struggle financially, and this should be considered in the city’s financial planning. 

Coun. Pietro Calendino wholeheartedly supported the increase, saying it is only 4.5%, given the inflation rate. He added that staff works hard to maintain city services and not cut back on services for the public. 

“I think 4.5% is a very modest rate. To Councillor Lee, I think that he needs to keep in mind that the increases the public faces out there, the city faces as well, not only for contract obligations but for all the goods we need to buy. We have seen increases in the double digits, and we have to absorb those.” Calendino added Burnaby is among the lowest in Metro Vancouver, and if property taxes were any lower, the city would have to shut down certain services. 

Dhaliwal also supported the financial plan, saying, “It’s always difficult to have any increases in property taxes. Let’s face it: it’s difficult times. Affordability is a big issue, so any increase is going to be a hardship. But the reality is that we have to deliver the services that city residents are currently used to and they expect us to do. That has to come from operating funds. We cannot think that we can have operating expenses out of reserves because they are reserves for specific needs, and you can’t start using those reserves to somehow decrease operating expenses; it doesn’t work that way.” 

He added that the 4.5% increase is on the lower side in the region, for example, when comparing Burnaby to Surrey, Vancouver, Delta, or North Vancouver. He added that they had started with about 6-7%, and the council worked with staff to cut it down to 4.5%. 

“We’re a growing city, and as the video said, there are $2.6 billion now currently allocated to infrastructure upgrades and amenities upgrades,” Dhaliwal said, such as new utilities and police station and city hall, all because of population growth in the city and province. 

Mayor Mike Hurley concluded the discussion by saying that comments by the general public regarding the financial plan have been received, and he thanked all residents who submitted their feedback. 

This piece was made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.

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