Port Coquitlam homeowners will face a property tax hike of 5.58 per cent next year — one of the lowest municipal rate jumps in the region, Mayor Brad West touted last week.
The proposed 2024 operating budget will see the average homeowner paying an additional $117.37 in property tax, from $2,104 this year to $2,221 in 2024.
In addition to the tax increase, homeowners are expected to pay $128 more for Metro Vancouver utilities:
- water: $13.96 (+2.96 per cent)
- sewer: $51.51 (+14.71 per cent)
- solid waste: $62.67 (+23.34 per cent)
- for households getting city curbside pickup
By comparison, Coquitlam homeowners will be charged an extra 8.92 per cent come July — including utility rises — while Port Moody residents may have an 8.13 per cent tax boost in the new year, if city council OK’s its plan.
Port Coquitlam residents will be able to comment on the city’s draft budget from Jan. 9 to 31, 2024, via an online survey, once the annual Budget at a Glance publication is mailed out.
At the Dec. 12 council in committee meeting, West congratulated municipal staff and council for being financially prudent as other local governments in the Lower Mainland also grapple with inflation, supply chain challenges, labour shortages and external issues in the post-pandemic world and, in response, lift property tax rates to around seven per cent.
Of the 5.58 per cent rate hike proposed for Port Coquitlam, 2.02 per cent is dedicated to the new federally negotiated RCMP contract — "completely outside the city’s control," West said — while 3.56 per cent is to maintain and enhance city services such as:
- more bylaw officers (to be funded through increased revenue from bylaw enforcement)
- one more firefighter
- more help for access and inclusion
- more support for community planning, including a new real estate manager (to be funded through the savings in real estate fees)
- more service at recreation hubs (to be funded through increase program fees), including a new facility maintenance co-ordinator (to be funded through increased concession and program revenue at Port Coquitlam Community Centre)
- improvements to special events
- replacing aging infrastructure
West argued the draft operational budget does not sacrifice the city’s quality of programs and services, and is sensitive to the reality of taxpayers.
"And, right now, the reality of taxpayers is that it’s never been more challenging financially: Interest rates, mortgage, credit card, debt, cost-of-living increasing, cost of food — all the basic necessities of life have never been going up as quickly as they have been and, despite all of that, the city has been able to bring in a property tax increase that’s very moderate."
Capital budget
Also this month, Port Coquitlam city council greenlighted $73 million in planned capital costs for 2024 and '25.
About two-thirds of the two-year capital plan is dedicated to rebuilding neighbourhood roads, sidewalks and utilities.
Among the top items in the 2024 proposal — a $40-million plan that’s expected to be formally adopted next May and is funded through development revenue, surplus, grants and capital reserve accounts — are:
- the start of the Gates Park soccer facility with BC Soccer and PoCo Soccer
- a new signalized intersection at Riverside Drive, Riverwood Gate and Amazon Drive
- a new 6.5-km loop trail linking Citadel Heights with ƛ̓éxətəm (Colony Farm) Regional Park with a new crosswalk at Shaughnessy Street and 200 timber stairs
- an artificial turf for the Jon Baillie Arena 1 at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre
- expansion of the drainage channel in the Fremont area
- a new rain barrel program for residents
