While joining the leadership chorus condemning the U.S. implementation of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports, Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto calls on residents to remain resilient in the face of a challenging provincial budget.
“Our residents have told council that we must do all that we can to address housing availability and affordability, rising cost of living, and community safety and well-being concerns. While this provincial budget does deliver on a few key initiatives, I will continue to advocate for more supports for local governments to help us use every tool at our disposal to deliver on the needs of Victorians,” Alto said in a March 5 statement.
The budget, tabled Tuesday (March 4), forecasts a deficit of $10.9 billion, almost $2 billion more than the forecast a year ago. B.C.'s Finance Minister Brenda Bailey said the budget protects health care, education, social services and public safety; grows the economy and offers British Columbians relief through specific measures and gives B.C. the flexibility to respond to U.S. tariffs.
The provincial budget is a case of hoping for the best, planning for the worst, and preparing to be surprised – reflecting the realities facing residents in her community and beyond, Alto said.
“The financial reality in British Columbia, and across Canada, has changed dramatically since January and continues to change each day. Monday’s news about American tariffs has shifted the conversation about tariffs from theory to a stark truth. The U.S. government has decided Canada is no longer an ally,” she said. “Canadians must come together, support local, and collaborate with all levels of government to find solutions. Canadians are strong and resilient, and we will draw on that resilience in the coming months to face these challenges.”
Pleased with the plan to invest in key service areas such as healthcare, infrastructure, jobs and businesses, as well as rental supports and addictions treatment, she applauds the commitment to support safer communities.
“This investment includes a focus on funding for justice and safety programs, and a new program to address vandalism and property crime, among other community safety commitments, and reflects municipal priorities. The province are key partners in this work,” Alto said.
The budget includes $235 million in new investments to keep communities safe through justice and public safety programs, including $15 million over three years to support assistance for victims, immediate family members and witnesses. The budget also includes $67 million over three years toward programs such as a community safety and targeted enforcement program pilot that will target robbery, shoplifting and other property crimes; and continued investment in the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative and the Special Investigation and Targeted Enforcement Program.
Budget 2025 also provides an additional $90 million over three years to expand the Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) programs into new communities.
“These are promising investments, and I will be watching closely to see how these programs are implemented and acted on, and how the city can collaborate, in the coming weeks and months. I am concerned about the budget’s commitments to address homelessness. While there is increased funding dedicated to HEART and HEARTH agreements, I am not confident that the allocated funding is enough or adequate,” Alto said. “I am uneasy with the apparent de-coupling of community safety from well-being. We must continue to invest in upstream and well-being focused interventions to address our ongoing community safety concerns.”
- with files from Wolf Depner
