January 2nd, 2025
On January 13 and January 30, Council will be considering the 2025 budget. These sessions will be significant. VicPD has asked to speak to Council once again about the VicPD 2025 budget request before Council concludes considerations.
Below are updates on Councillor remuneration, Missing Middle Housing developments, the upcoming 2025 budget decisions and the Crystal Pool Referendum.
As we enter 2025, we see uncertainty, both international and national, and here in Victoria. Our downtown is hurting, our residents are facing significant cost of living increases, and we have not seen the development of therapeutic centres or housing for those with special needs due to mental illness and/or addictions. While 2024 brought approval of thousands of housing units and we see some cranes on our streets, we do not see “shovels in the ground” for some developments approved over a year ago.
This Council is halfway through its term of office. While the situation on Council has been challenging, I have learned much from the proceedings, and from many of you. My intention has been, and continues to be, to provide a voice at Council which reflects your interests.
Best wishes for all of us in 2025.
Happy New Year to all,
Marg
2025-2026 Budget, the VicPD budget and the Crystal Pool Referendum:
Many of you have sent emails to me about the budget which have provided me with more insight. I appreciate your assistance.
City Financial Plan: The City’s Financial Plan has an expenditure increase of $20 million or 7.63% and a revenue increase of $4 million or 2.77% which results in a net budget increase of $16 million or 13.53%. As a result, property taxes for 2025 are to increase by an average of 8.83%. City staff has been asked to create four options for Council which would limit the City’s portion of the 2025 property tax increase to 4%, 5%, 6% or 7%.
Your final property tax bill is made up of the City’s portion and other levees. Looking at my personal 2024 Property Tax Notice, about 65% of the total was attributed to the municipality (City), 23% to BC School taxes, 7% to the CRD and 5% to BC Transit. While the VicPD (police) budget ultimately falls within the City’s municipal budget, the staff reports do NOT include the VicPD budget. It is listed separately on your tax bill.
Police (VicPD) proposed budget: The VicPD 2025 budget has an expenditure increase of $7.75 million or 10.41%, a revenue increase of $1.7 million or 13.95% (this includes Esquimalt’s contribution) which results in a net budget increase of $6.05 million or 9.71% for the City’s portion. The resulting tax increase is 3.34% (which adds to the 8.83%).
Please note that the figures above are “average” tax increases. Your property tax may be higher. As the 2024 property tax notices were distributed last summer, home owners and businesses wrote about increases of 18%-27% in property taxes. Real or actual increases in property taxes are lost in the “average”. Some categories of residential housing (for example, CRD and other social housing properties) pay no, or very little, property tax.
Crystal Pool Referendum: The financing for Crystal Pool would be on top of the above component of property taxes. Whether you are in support of, or opposed to the Crystal Pool replacement project, please let your voice be known. A commentary by Stan Bartlett, Vice-Chair Grumpy Taxpayer$ of Greater Victoria, is insightful and presents the crux of the matter: more debt with higher taxes, or no City pool!
Remuneration:
My remuneration as a City of Victoria Councillor for 2023 (as stated on my 2023 T4) was $51,073.10. The paystub for the period ending December 28, 2024 gave a gross remuneration of $54,826.30. The difference of $3,753.20 represents an increase in remuneration of 7.35% for 2024.
An additional but lower increase is expected for 2025 and the first months of 2026. A large increase is expected in 2026. Prior to the 2026 election, perhaps in late spring, Council will finalise increases for the “new” Council to take effect immediately following the election. The increase is not yet known as it will be related to increases of remuneration of Mayors of provincial capital cities across Canada. For 2027, Councillor remuneration is expected to be greater than 40% higher than the remuneration received in 2023.
Missing Middle Housing:
Missing Middle Housing applications (in fact all delegated development permit and development variance permit applications) are now posted to the Development Tracker.
Once you have entered the site, click “filter” and choose “Delegated Development Permit” and “Delegated Development Variance Permit”. The search will yield Missing Middle Housing applications and other applications which have been delegated to staff for decision.
Please understand, these are my views, and are not presented as the position of Council. Marg Gardiner, City of Victoria Councillor.