Eight years, of skyrocketing operational costs, unsustainable property tax hikes, a disregard for our parks and green spaces, and a decline in public safety.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Residential Property Tax Hikes
2020–1.75%
2021- 2.95%
2022–2.95%
2023–3.99%
2024-4.5%
2025-5.8%
2026 Election Year
budgeted 7.58%, revised to 4.8%
2027-budgeted 8.9%
2028-budgeted 12%
2029-budgeted 9.55%.
Conclusion:
73.62% total increase from 2020 through 2029
Parks and Green Spaces
From 2014-2025 an estimated 1,200 acres have been cut down. However, Metro Vancouver's website states 602 acres cut down from 2014-2020. The remaining 598 acres was only mentioned in a private meeting we had at City Hall through the planning and development department.
Conclusion:
1,200 acres for comparison is 4.5 Stanley Parks.
Public Safety
Our population has grown from 249,125 in 2021 to 309,694 in 2026. That is a 24.3% overall growth rate. But from the City of Burnaby financial reports, our police force has remained at 301 officers (minus the integrated team) since 2021.
Conclusion:
Burnaby's population has expanded by over 24% since 2021, the physical number of residents has outpaced the municipal budget's expansion of authorized officer posts.
Operational Costs
Burnaby's operating budget in 2020 was $547.8 million. Fast forward to 2026, our city's operating budget has grown to $854.5 million.
Conclusion:
Burnaby's operating budget has grown by 56% between 2020 and 2026.
