Municipal Spending; A Runaway Train

 

In early 2026, the Business Council of BC described the rapid rate of property tax inflation province wide as a “Runaway Train”, citing a 94% increase over the past 15 years, compared with a national average of 54%. No doubt, these concerns are well founded, but it is nonetheless satisfying to note that this trend is not reflected in Abbotsford’s property tax experience.

Reflecting on my own property tax increase in Abbotsford over the same period (for a property I have occupied since 1990), the increase has been 55%. This personal observation is corroborated by Government of BC Local Government Statistics. Based on that data, Abbotsford has been comparatively restrained in its property tax increases over the past 15 years, relative to both the provincial average and the averages of neighbouring municipalities—Chilliwack, Mission, and the City and Township of Langley.

 

Two metrics are provided: “Municipal Taxes Per Capita”, and “Total Taxes and Charges on a ‘Representative House’”. (Schedules 707 & 704)

1/Municipal taxes per capita

Municipality	2010	2024	Change	Avg annual growth
Abbotsford	761	1,088	+43.0%	+2.59%/yr
Chilliwack	650.8	1,010	+55.2%	+3.19%/yr
Mission	698.8	1,157	+65.6%	+3.67%/yr
Langley (City)	770.3	1,321	+71.5%	+3.93%/yr
Langley (Township/District)	821.3	1,289	+56.9%	+3.27%/yr
BC (weighted avg across municipalities)	801.3	1,326.9	+65.6%	+3.67%/yr

2/Total residential property taxes & charges on a ‘Representative House’

Municipality	2010	2024	Change	Avg annual growth
Abbotsford	3,743	5,497	+46.8%	+2.78%/yr
Chilliwack	2,951	4,831	+63.7%	+3.58%/yr
Mission	3,729	5,874	+57.5%	+3.30%/yr
Langley (City)	3,522	6,395	+81.6%	+4.35%/yr
Langley (Township/District)	3,592	6,363	+77.1%	+4.17%/yr
BC benchmark (median municipality)	2,762	4,673.5	+69.2%	+3.82%/yr

Abbotsford’s per-capita municipal tax burden growth has been well below the BC-wide municipal average for the period, 2010 – 2024, and lower than that of each of the three adjacent comparator municipalities listed here. On a homeowner-based measure, Abbotsford’s increase is again lower than the BC median and lower than Mission, Chilliwack, and Langley over the same period.

In a subsequent study (June 29, 2026) from the Business Council of BC, a report was released showing that most municipalities across the province increased operating spending at a pace that exceeded what population growth and inflation alone would justify.

The one fact that cannot be lost in this discussion is that Abbotsford is the largest BC municipality in area. This has significant implications for investment in infrastructure like roads, water, and sewer, and operational costs related to police and fire protections services -  much greater than most municipalities. Furthermore, our agricultural land (74% of our area) accounts for only 3% of our tax base.

Overall, 135 of B.C.'s 153 municipalities (88%) increased real operating spending faster than their populations grew between 2010 and 2024, according to the report. Their findings (below) indicate the average annual growth in real operating spending (adjusted for inflation) and population for Abbotsford between 2010 and 2024 was within our “means”.

Abbotsford Spending, 2010-2024:

Real Spending                        Population                    Difference
Annual Growth %                    Annual Growth %

       1.2%                                     1.7%                              -0.6

Their analysis covers 153 of B.C.'s 161 municipalities. Seven were excluded due to incomplete data for the 2010-2024 period. Overspending will eventually “catch up”; it is not sustainable. Abbotsford was one of 18 municipalities where spending is not a “Runaway Train”; where sustainability guides fiscal policy.

This is the city that the incoming Council will inherit. “Understand what came before – Decide carefully what should come next.”