2025-2029 Financial Plan

Costs Beyond the City’s Control

Port Coquitlam’s $144-million draft 2025 budget once again strives to shield taxpayers from rising costs – both those within the City’s control and beyond it – while continuing to provide essential civic services. 

Almost three-quarters of this year’s proposed increase relates to obligatory costs such as the federally-negotiated RCMP contract (1.44%) and labour contracts. Likewise, Metro Vancouver utility charges will make up the vast majority of the 2025 utility bill increases.

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More details about costs faced by the City:

• Increased costs based on regional or provincial contract negotiations, including CUPE representing civic workers and IAFF representing firefighters,
• Rising costs from the RCMP contract and Public Safety Building due to inflation and the federally-negotiated collective agreement,
• Increased costs from external service providers such as Fraser Valley Regional Library and Metro Vancouver water, sewer and waste services,
• Inflation and escalating costs for supplies and labour for capital projects, and
• Continuing responsibilities from provincial legislation related to accessibility and housing, leading to significant new costs.

Council Priorities

The City’s draft budget and service delivery for 2025 are guided by the 2023-2026 Council priorities along with community feedback received throughout the year through the annual budget survey and other public consultation.

Overall, the draft budget reflects the City’s ongoing focus on getting the basics right – planning and providing core municipal services (such as roads, utilities and other infrastructure, safety and recreation) that matter to residents and businesses.

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The City used a variety of tactics to reduce taxpayer impact, including: 

• Department efficiencies
• Deferral of non-critical items
• Selective use of reserves and surplus accounts
• Adjustments to investment revenue
• Leveraging of provincial and federal grant funding
• Tax revenue from new development (growth) 

As a result, Port Coquitlam’s proposed tax increase for 2025 is well below average in Metro Vancouver, based on reported information. Over the past five years, the City’s tax and utility increases have been just over half of the regional average. 

See the How We Compare section below.

Municipal property taxes and levies for the average Port Coquitlam home (assessed at $1,108,776) are proposed to increase in 2025 by $95.82 (4.3%) – one of the lowest proposed increases in the region. A similar percentage increase is proposed for business taxes.

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Regional funding pressures will significantly impact the 2025 utility levies. Metro Vancouver water charges will make up 80% of the water levy increase and 99 per cent of the sewer levy increase. The largest portion of the sewer levy increase ($84 from each household) is due to the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant cost overruns being felt throughout the Lower Mainland.

Please note: These figures are based on last year’s property assessment values and do not include the regional and provincial taxes that also appear on the annual property tax bill and are beyond the City’s control. See below about the potential impact of a property’s assessed value. 

Prepayment Program - Pay Monthly!

Sign up for the City’s Prepayment Plan to pay next year’s tax and utility bills in easy monthly instalments.

The City’s annual budget pays for a wide variety of important City services (see the Where Do My Taxes and Levies Go tab below.)

Overall, the 2025 budget is lean and focuses primarily on maintaining existing service levels and taxpayer affordability. However, the City remains committed to delivering the highest standard of service in areas such as parks and waste management, which have earned widespread recognition across the region.

Key Enhancements

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A notable service enhancement for 2025 is the introduction of curbside glass collection for homes that pay a solid waste levy on their tax bill. This expanded service is being provided in response to long-time community requests. 

The annual budget also funds a variety of capital improvements through the 2025-2026 Capital Plan, including significant investments in flood protection.

Port Coquitlam has an established track record of lower-than-average property taxes and utilities compared to other municipalities in Metro Vancouver, and is on track to continue that trend in 2025 with one of the lowest proposed tax increases in the region.

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A property’s assessed value determines its share of taxes. The assessments provided by BC Assessment each January indicate how much Port Coquitlam property assessments increased or decreased from the prior year.

Properties whose value has increased or decreased more or less than other typical properties of the same type will experience a tax rate that differs from the average. For more details, see the assessment mailed to you in January.

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This is how your annual City property taxes and levies are applied to a wide variety of important services and programs.

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