Victoria city council is giving residents and businesses a little longer to weigh in on the 2025 budget.
Mayor Marianne Alto said since city staff have been given an extension to report back to council on ways to reduce and perhaps cap the expected property tax increase in 2025 and 2026, it made sense to extend the public’s opportunity for input until Dec. 20.
Council noted the draft budget document, which proposes a tax increase of more than 12 per cent in 2025, is now public and there may be additional information coming from the Victoria Esquimalt Police Board as well.
The 12.17 per cent tax increase estimated in the first draft of the budget would be the largest in Victoria in more than 10 years.
The early draft, which will undergo changes before it is adopted next spring, anticipates the typical residential property could face a $376-property tax increase and a typical business could see a $1,000 increase.
The budget includes a $365.6 million operating budget and a $94.6 million capital budget.
The proposed operational budget, which is up $37.6 million from the 2024 version, follows a community-engagement process that identified the public’s priorities as housing and public safety.
The capital budget is $12 million higher than last year and is meant for the maintenance and improvement of everything from sewers to roads and water mains.
One of the reasons for the double-digit increase is the addition of a three per cent tax increase to the capital budget starting this year to address the rising cost of maintaining civic infrastructure and the need for further investment in expensive things like sewer systems, water mains and roads.
The early draft of the budget includes the Victoria police budget, which is seeking $79.14 million this year, an increase of $7 million from last year.
Victoria’s share of that budget would be $68.3 million, with Esquimalt paying the balance.
Final adoption of the budget will happen in April.
