Apparently not if you live in Victoria and face a proposed 7.28 percent hike this year.

Council needs reminding that household, family and individual income are all significantly less in the City of Victoria when compared to 12 other municipalities on the South Island.

The most recent figures put the median after-tax income of households in the City of Victoria at $60,000.

This compares to $105,000 in the Highlands, $82,000 in Langford, $104,000 in North Saanich, $93,000 in Oak Bay, and $83,000 in Saanich. You get the picture.

While all these incomes mentioned above are the most recent from the 2021 Census, this trend has remained consistent over the decades. There’s no reason to think that changed dramatically in the last few years.

There are a disproportionate number of low-income workers, seniors, and renters on fixed income in the City of Victoria who are struggling with affordability. They have far less ability to manage compounding rent, food and fuel costs.

With increased property taxes, business owners will very likely have to pass along an increase in goods and services to charge those with limited income (and everyone else) to remain profitable.

City staff are now saying the anticipated tax hike of 11% in 2027 is now likely to be closer to 14% to make up for the reduced reserve contributions and taxation this year. That said, it’s unknown the full impact the grim 2026 BC budget will have on city finances.

It’s well-known there are significant staff cuts planned in 2026 driven by the federal and provincial government, as well as the private sector.

It’s unfortunate our facile, ideological-bound city council won’t give their heads a shake, tighten their belt and restructure their bloated workforce.

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During the fall municipal election voters may want to ask candidates if they will continue to upgrade their abilities.

It’s a question residents in the Capital Regional District are asking after the current term draws to a close and a new one begins this fall. While most of the 100 local politicians may think they are well-qualified, many voters probably think otherwise.

Since elected in 2022, only two local politicians in all 13 municipalities have availed themselves of leadership and knowledge opportunities offered by the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM). They recognized there’s a need for education and training of elected officials and launched the Local Government Leadership Academy back in 2010.

The three certificate levels for mayors and councillors are built around ‘developing core competencies for effective governance’ and “increased understanding of both the ‘big picture’ and the ‘fine details’ of governance.”

From 2022 to 2025, only Esquimalt Coun. Jacob Helliwell completed Level 1 and 2 certificates requiring a total of 45 hours of coursework and an elected officials seminar. Mayor Maja Tait, who will not be seeking re-election, completed Level 3.

The electorate must look at each candidate’s work/life’s experience to see if they have the skills necessary to run a large corporation such as a municipality. But it raises questions as to why most local elected officials don’t bother seizing the opportunity to further their education.

Do potential candidates and local governments not know about the training opportunities? Should the UBCM be reviewing the curriculum to ensure it meets their needs? Or do councils feel they don’t need to develop their leadership skills and knowledge base?

Come election time, ask your elected official if they possess sufficient knowledge and leadership skills to help enable effective local governance.

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Following council’s hefty pay increase of 28-38% slated for 2027, the coffee shops in Sidney (and elsewhere) will not only be buzzing from the caffeine.

There are several troubling governance aspects and questions about this issue.

Why did it take 14 years for council salaries to be hiked which finally resulted in this outsized increase?

Why did some councillors vote against making the hike more acceptable to taxpayers by phasing in the increase over the next four years?

Why did Couns. Steve Duck, Scott Garnett and Richard Novak object to postponing the vote until to allow missing councillor Chad Rintoul to attend and weigh in? Was his absence justified during this important vote?

Was there a conflict of interest having staff prepare a report bringing council’s compensation (read, their boss) in line with the median salary of eight other like-sized municipalities in the region?

How meaningful are those comparator salaries when it results in endless and significant bumps in pay across the region?

What happens if the mayor in January 2027 refuses a pay hike, do council salaries still automatically jump by 38%? Will a future council nullify the remuneration bylaw?

Given these questions, it’s expected those candidates running for council this fall will stake out a position on this controversial issue.

The optics of approving big pay hikes – while council is supposedly taming a potential 12.4% property tax jump and voters are struggling with the rising cost of living – are unbelievable.

DIG DEEPER

Sidney council and mayor salaries to increase by 28-38% in 2027, Peninsula News Review, Feb. 10, 2026. https://peninsulanewsreview.com/2026/02/12/sidney-council-and-mayor-salaries-to-increase-by-28-38-in-2027/
https://peninsulanewsreview.com/2026/02/12/sidney-council-and-mayor-salaries-to-increase-by-28-38-in-2027/

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While we agree with the premise that the current model of governance is not working, his remedy to start from scratch to reinvent local government is an unrealistic academic exercise.

There are now about 100 local politicians on the South Island and a 24-member CRD board. The CRD itself functions as a coordinating committee and a service delivery agent, rather than a level of local government that’s elected on a regional basis.

There are currently three electoral areas, namely Juan de Fuca, Southern Gulf Islands and Salt Spring Island.

Salt Spring is governed by a hybrid model combining the CRD for local services, along with the Islands Trust and its two trustees for land-use planning.

In 2023, a new Local Community Commission was elected with a CRD director and four commissioners to oversee 14 CRD services for the island.

While not mentioned, the region includes traditional territories of many First Nations where 11 of these hold reserve lands.

Nowadays, the sheer complexity and self-interest inherent with endless jurisdictions makes it extremely unrealistic that a broken governance model will be fixed easily or quickly.

Mr. Hancock’s support of zero-based budgeting – something we’ve been advocating for a decade – has merit and gets our wholehearted support.

Demanding more integrated and shared services regionally is also a promising strategy to add, especially in light of relentless oversized tax increases.

But, until the provincial government addresses the problems with the structure of local government, there’s a more pragmatic tribute to mark any ‘Diamond Jubilee’ festivities on the South Island. 

During the fall referendum in Victoria and Saanich there’s a significant opportunity to vote to consolidate the governance of half the entire population of 460,000.

Last year the Citizens’ Assembly, an impartial advisory body tasked with representing the residents, investigated the costs, benefits and disadvantages of amalgamation.

It concluded a unified city is the best form of government for the two municipalities.

Ask yourself, isn’t approving the referendum a far more compelling and realistic approach to overcome inertia than starting from scratch to try and reinvent local government?

It’s more worthy of consideration and not an academic exercise.

Does cutting flower baskets create the illusion of a robust debate on priorities and divert taxpayer eyes from an unaffordable 10.44 per cent property tax hike?

Residents can’t help but agree after reviewing the proposed $468 million consolidated budget for 2026 and the city finances.

If you examine the amount of accumulated surplus the City of Victoria had at the end 2024, taxpayers need to ask if council is distracting them from any possible service integration across the region.

The accumulated surplus stood at slightly over one billion dollars, according to the most recent statement of financial information. Granted almost three-quarters of that amount was equity in capital assets like buildings and land.

But about $300 million consists of 12 cash reserves and investments for everything from a financial stability reserve to another for climate action.

How is it that the council can’t find $130,000, a relative pittance, to pay for an iconic feature of a tourist community dubbed the ‘Garden City’? Why not buy flower baskets on the open market?

It seems most municipalities these days start performative budget discussions with an alarming double-digit budget increase, face the public outrage, and then scale back the outsized hike. Critics charge that the budget is sold as a less-painful hike and a compromise.

So what better way than slashing flower baskets to distract from the real issue of governing within realistic fiscally responsible means. How is it that our neighbour Vancouver is promising taxpayers a zero per cent budget increase in 2026?

Since labour costs in Victoria account for a mind-boggling 54 per cent of the operating budget, council has few options other than rationalizing a rapidly growing staff payroll.

There are now 22 staff in the communications and engagement department – twice as many as in 2021 – ready to record and analyze your views on the proposed budget. Residents have until 11.59 pm on Jan. 23.

Sept 28, 2025, CRDWatch.com

There is a Comment in the Times Colonist by Gene Miller entitled:
“Victoria OCP: a triumph of political authority over community.”
Victoria OCP a triumph of political authority over community – Victoria Times Colonist

Gene is a renaissance man who founded Open Space in Victoria in the 1970s, an arts
collective as well as Monday magazine. He has been a going concern and vocal
critic of high-rise development and the loss of human-scale design for decades.
His latest critique of the Mayor and Council, equal parts humorous and
scathing, used a telling description of them – Ebycrats. Intrigued by it I took a
closer look and here is what I found.

That is, in City Hall, a distinctive pattern emerges when examining the
backgrounds and connections of the current Mayor and several Councillors.
Their professional trajectories, policy positions, and personal networks reveal
notable ties to BC’s tallest landlord NDP Premier David Eby – hence “Ebycrats”.

The NDP Network: Victoria’s Municipal-Provincial Nexus.

Victoria’s current municipal leadership displays significant alignment with NDP
networks (plural), raising questions about the degree of partisan influence in
what non-partisan municipal positions are ostensibly.

Mayor Marianne Alto: Family Ties to NDP Government

Mayor Alto’s connections to the provincial NDP are perhaps most evident
through her spouse, Allison Boyd, who currently serves as a Deputy Minister in
the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. This direct family
connection to the NDP government’s senior executive ranks establishes a clear
link between the Mayor’s office and the provincial power structure.

Alto was also previously speculated as a potential federal NDP candidate when
MP Denise Savoie retired in 2012, though she declined to pursue this
opportunity. Her policy positions on housing, infrastructure, and social services
closely mirror NDP priorities, suggesting ideological alignment beyond mere
coincidence.

Councillor Dave Thompson: Married to NDP MLA

Councillor Dave Thompson’s NDP connections are equally significant. His
spouse is Diane Gibson, the NDP MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. This direct
matrimonial connection to an NDP elected official creates an unmistakable link
between Council chambers and the NDP caucus.

Thompson’s background includes work with the Parkland Institute alongside
Gibson before relocating to Victoria. He currently sits on the Advisory Council of
the Centre for Civic Governance/Columbia Institute which is a progressive think
tank with close ties to labour and NDP-aligned policy positions. Thompson’s
2022 campaign too received endorsements from the Victoria Labour Council
and BCGEU, organisations historically aligned with NDP priorities, although the
current strike is not likely among them!

Councillors with Provincial Government Experience

Several Councillors bring direct experience from within the provincial
government:

Jeremy Caradonna worked as a “senior policymaker for the Province of British
Columbia” focused on climate and green building both key NDP policy areas.
His public commentary on provincial elections and policy positions on
progressive issues like housing and climate action suggest comfortable
alignment with NDP priorities.

Matt Dell has served in multiple roles within the BC government, including as
Director of Legislation in the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training
now under NDP control and continues to serve as a provincial government
employee. His position as Director would have required close collaboration with
NDP ministers and political staff.

Labour Movement Endorsements

The 2022 municipal election saw several successful candidates receive
endorsements from the Victoria Labour Council, effectively running on a labour-
backed slate:

Susan Kim received Victoria Labour Council endorsement and participates in
the Centre for Civic Governance Advisory Council, a progressive municipal policy
initiative historically supported by unions and ideologically adjacent to NDP
positions. Kim shares this membership with Thompson.

Krista Loughton also received Victoria Labour Council endorsement, placing
her within the pro-worker/progressive alignment network typically associated
with NDP interests. Her advocacy on housing, homelessness, and social services
mirrors NDP platform priorities.

In sum the Victoria Labour Council endorsed Kim, Dell, Loughton, and
Thompson. The BCGEU endorsed Alto, Kim, Dell, Loughton, Thompson and
Caradonna and Ben Isitt. Only Isitt was defeated, and which shows in one way
the strength of the union endorsement.

The “Ebycrats” Factor

While municipal governance in BC is officially non-partisan, the concentration of
Councillors and the Mayor with direct or indirect connections to the NDP
creates what some observers have termed the “Ebycrats” phenomenon, namely
municipal officials whose backgrounds, networks, and policy positions align
closely with Premier David Eby’s provincial government.

The problem is this is not how it is supposed to be. The alignment raises
important questions about municipal independence and the degree to which
provincial party politics influence local decision-making. As Victoria faces critical
challenges in housing, transportation, and social services, this opaque
intertwined relationship between city leadership and the provincial governing
party is strangling transparent debate and decision-making in Victoria. It has to
be called out for what it is and answered.

Several local politicians are calling on their municipality to re-evaluate where they spend tax dollars as a result of the nasty Canada-US trade dispute.

“Obviously municipal actions in this regard are taken with the greatest reluctance and are not directed at the American people. Public bodies must walk a fine line in that regard. This whole situation is an aberration and will pass,” says John Treleaven, chair of Grumpy Taxpayer$.

“Tourism is a critically important sector for this country, our province and this city. American visitors we are confident, will always be made to feel welcome.”

All standing offers from US suppliers should be immediately put under review and in looking for Canadian alternatives, companies from across Canada should be contacted. B C preference where this exists is no longer appropriate, says Treleaven.

“Public and private organizations in Canada have been thrust into uncharted waters by the actions and threats of the President of the United States. One easy step to take in reaction is what local politicians started to do.

“Buy Canadian means what it says. Actions promised and taken by community leaders are entirely appropriate and should be reflected in the showing habits of all of us.”

Saanich has asked staff to examine its purchasing practices and report back to council.

“The resolution is intended to provide the public the understanding that their council is in alignment with what’s been discussed provincially and federally,” says Coun. Colin Plant who introduced a last minute motion at the Feb. 3 meeting.

Premier David Eby says they’ll keep planning to shift the provincial trade relationship away from America, since BC is pausing its response to threatened tariffs by the US after a 30-day reprieve was negotiated.

Coun. Susan Brice, who seconded the motion on reviewing procurement practices, says Saanich buying practices may need to be adjusted to prioritize Canadian products and services.

Victoria also asked staff to look into buying more local products and services. City staff estimate about one per cent of current materials and services purchases come directly from the U.S.

Meanwhile, CRD chair Cliff McNeil-Smith plans to introduce a similar motion to the finance committee on Mar. 5 which will then go to the board of directors on Mar. 12.

Mc-Neil Smith told CHEK News the CRD does prioritize buying Canadian goods and services, but staff are reviewing to determine if more can be done in the CRD and in his municipality of Sidney.

“I think collectively, the impact of local governments acting together can be very significant,” said McNeil-Smith.

The CRD budget alone is just under $900 million.

DIG DEEPER

Website promoting Canadian companies gains interest ahead of trade war, National Post, Feb. 4, 2025.

Canada-US Trade CFAX Interview with Chair John Treleaven, Feb. 3, 2025.

Editorial: A declaration of war, an exercise in madness, Times Colonist, Feb. 4, 2025.

B.C. puts its response to U.S. tariffs on hold after 30-day delay, Times Colonist, Feb. 4, 2025.

The starting point deliberations for tax increases in 2025 are among the highest ever recorded on the South Island.

While many of the proposed tax rate hikes are eye-popping, it remains to be seen how far they will be chopped before a final decision in May.

Residents are concerned even more since a Canada-US trade dispute began after these initial tax rate increases were presented to residents.

Sidney is the latest municipality to table a double-digit budget request, initially asking for a 12.85 tax hike on Feb. 3.  

Staff told council that everything cost more, and Sidney is not immune to reality. The proposed rate is double that in 2024.

Langford property tax rate increases went from 2.95% in 2022 to 12.41% in 2023 and then leaped to 15.62% 2024. The preliminary plan aims to hike taxes this year by 11.2%, and it’s now just below 12%.

The city has said “significant budget pressures” in 2025 that will include RCMP and fire department staffing and the recent acquisitions of the Westhills YW/YMCA Langford Aquatic Centre and Woodlands Park. It’s also facing the downloading of the cost of the E-Comm 911 police dispatch service.

Sooke council is pushing to reduce a proposed 16.04% tax hike.

Concerns over inflation, policing costs, and asset management prompt officials to consider alternatives to a record rate hike. In 2024, council supported a 10.53% tax increase.

Esquimalt is looking at 14 per cent tax increase as deliberations begin.

The average residential-zoned property could see a $467 tax increase.

Staff said the key cost drivers of the budget are police services, labour costs for wages associated with the union’s collective agreement; and long-term infrastructure and reserve contributions.

Victoria’s first draft of the city’s complete 2025 budget, with the police budget included, anticipated a 12.17 per cent property tax increase.

The city faces tough choices to tackle tax rise and has asked staff to prepare scenarios for a 4-to-7 % hike.

It remains to be seen during the next few months if local municipal councils will listen to residents hard-pressed by the cost of living.

Half of British Columbians are $200 or less away from not being able to pay bills, according to a poll by MNP. Shockingly, the national reading for the final quarter of 2024 is eight percentage points higher than the earlier period, according to the insolvency firm.

DIG DEEPER

Editorial: Governments can’t keep squeezing the taxpayers, Times Colonist, Jan. 31, 2025.

So we queried Perplexity, an Artificial Intelligence system, and they flagged eight challenges in a matter of seconds.

It points to fragmented structure, lack of regional cooperation, inconsistent transparency and accountability, disagreements over amalgamation, funding challenges, jurisdictional conflicts, lack of regional authority, and police force fragmentation.

Check it out at Why is municipal government in Greater Victoria, British Columbia so dysfunctional?

Then we asked about the fiscal implications are of the failed governance structure in the region. As we head into 2025, read all about the 10 different implications!

Taxpayers would be wise to familiarize themselves with what many citizens around the province view as an anti-democratic, half-measure.

Council could have incorporated the projects into its operations budget or go to a referendum to get approval to borrow. An AAP saves money and is expedient, but lacks sufficient democratic safeguards.

The $9.615 million will be used to fund a portion of the sewer capital program ($400,000), storm drainage program ($1.7 million), transportation program ($3.1 million), parks capital program ($1.2 million) and community facilities ($3.215 million). You can vote to oppose one or more initiatives.

To be clear, an AAP is not a municipal vote or a referendum, but a different creature altogether that’s controversial and largely unknown to taxpayers. Some AAPs have been or are being challenged in the courts around BC.

For those engaged in their community, the provincial document called Alternate Approval Process: A guide for local governments will help you sort through what is a convoluted and complex process.

Saanich will need to spend lots of time and resources explaining AAPs to electors.

Head’s up taxpayers.

It’s unknown if the district will opt for an AAP or a more democratic referendum to borrow about $150 million for a new operations yard later this year.

DIG DEEPER

Saanich takes alternate approach to borrow $9.6M for capital programs, Vic News, Jan. 23  , 2025.

https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/saanich-takes-alternate-approach-to-borrow-96m-for-capital-programs-7776169

Saanich to use alternative approval process for $9.6M borrowing request, Times Colonist, Jan. 22, 2025.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/saanich-to-use-alternative-approval-process-for-96m-borrowing-request-10111162

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