Port Coquitlam taxpayers have until Mar. 26 to provide feedback on a draft City budget that makes investments in safety, housing and other priorities with one of the region’s lowest planned tax increases.

For the average home value, Port Coquitlam’s draft budget calls for an increase of 3.38 per cent, or $105, including both property taxes and utilities. By now all property owners should have received budget highlights in the mail and can find more information and links to the online survey at portcoquitlam.ca/2023budget.

The draft 2023 budget continues the City’s focus on getting the basics right while supporting community safety, City infrastructure and current and future needs. This includes:

• Enhancing safety including two new RCMP officers, two new firefighters and continuing enhancements to City cybersecurity,
• Supporting new housing with resources to manage increased volumes of development applications and speeding up approvals, including electronic plan submissions,
• Additional support to managing important capital and transportation projects, including completion of the Master Transportation Plan,
• Increasing customer service to meet higher levels of demand at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre,
• Preparing for climate change, including flood-protection infrastructure, adoption of a new Climate Action Plan, and increasing the tree canopy, and
• Continuing to set aside funds to replace aging infrastructure.

To help rising costs and inflation, the City looked for responsible ways to fund new staff and work while minimizing taxpayer impact, and carefully reviewed all revenue streams, including fees, charges and grants. Increased revenue from new development, higher investment returns and transfers from the RCMP Operating Reserve also help reduce the burden on taxpayers.

The annual budget also funds a variety of capital improvements. Projects rolling out in 2023 through the approved $35.2 million Capital Plan include: 

• Neighbourhood rehabilitation including paving, utilities, sidewalks and streetlighting,
• Lane paving,
• Upgrades to Gates Park and other parks, sports fields and sport courts,
• A washroom at Blakeburn Lagoons Park,
• A Terry Fox sculpture and interactive exhibit at Port Coquitlam Community Centre,
• Sidewalks, pedestrian safety, and traffic calming,
• Cedar Creek culvert upgrades, and
• Expansion of Port Coquitlam cemetery.

Taxpayer Impact

The City’s proposed 3.38 per cent increase for 2023 taxes and utilities for average homes assessed at $967,000 includes:

• A property tax increase of 3.73 per cent ($76.14) consisting of 2.28 per cent for City services, one per cent for long-term infrastructure replacement, and 0.45 per cent increases to RCMP contracted policing costs,
• A solid waste levy increase of 3.69 per cent ($8.81) for single-family homes receiving City waste collection; and
• Utility levy increases of 2.81 per cent ($13.61) for water services and 1.97 per cent ($6.95) for sewer services, included in the utility bills mailed to homes last week. 

A 3.73 per cent increase for business taxes and utilities is also proposed, consistent with residential.

To give your feedback, visit portcoquitlam.ca/2023budget to review the budget information and click the link to complete the survey by March 26 on the Let’s Talk PoCo engagement portal.

For more information, visit portcoquitlam.ca/budget or contact budget@portcoquitlam.ca or 604.927.5280.

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MEDIA CONTACT

Ximena Ibacache
Manager of Communications & Administrative Services
City of Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.927.5499
Email ibacachex@portcoquitlam.ca