After a dramatic months-long trim from the starting point of a 12.77-per-cent increase, Victoria council comes in at 6.99 for its 2025 tax increase.
The five-year financial plan that outlines the annual budget passed its first three readings during council April 24, as anticipated after several lengthy debates at the committee level.
Three members opposed – Couns. Marg Gardiner, Stephen Hammond and Susan Kim.
“I think the taxes, we don’t have them under control yet… the real understanding of the impact that’s going to be hitting our taxpayer. And I think we can do more,” Gardiner said.
It was among the milder comments during a meeting that was at times heated with differences of opinion. The Mayor was called to weigh in on whether council members were in compliance with Victoria’s accepted standard of behaviour.
Deeming the comments “opinion,” Mayor Maryanne Alto counselled council: “I would urge all of us to consider the utility of this conversation.”
Earlier in the day, while sitting as committee, Coun. Jeremy Caradonna pointed out Victoria’s increase, while still a lift, is among the lowest in the region. For example, Esquimalt is looking at a 9.9 per cent tax increase, down from the first presented draft of just over 14 per cent; Saanich residents face an 8.02 per cent rise shaved down from 8.84; Sidney 10.67 per cent first proposed as 12.85 per cent; and Langford came down to 9.77 per cent after starting just shy of 15 per cent.
Council directed staff to use a four per cent tax increase for the city’s portion of the taxes as a starting point for 2026 budget deliberations.
May 15 is the deadline for B.C. municipalities to adopt budgets.
