Local government finance needs to be updated to reflect the reality faced by BC communities. Property tax is a useful tool, but local governments report difficulty raising enough revenue to manage the community’s needs, specifically including the impacts of climate change, the housing crisis, and service delivery for a wide range of community safety issues.
Long-term, predictable, and stable funding is needed for local governments to respond to modern challenges. Building on the work of two select committees, UBCM staff are currently engaging with the Province to develop changes to the local government finance system in BC through the Local Government Financial Review Working Group.
Local Government Financial Review Working Group
- Homepage for Working Group reports, terms of reference, and other resources.
Policy Papers
Ensuring Local Government Financial Resiliency, 2021: A report from the Select Committee on Local Government Finance that makes 20 recommendations towards finance system modernization. This report is being used as a guide for the joint Provincial-UBCM Local Government Financial Review Working Group. View the summary of recommendations from this report.
Strong Fiscal Futures: A Blueprint for Strengthening BC Local Governments’ Finance System, 2013: A report from an earlier Select Committee on Local Government Finance. The 2021 Financial Resiliency report builds on the strategy developed in this report.
Financing Local Government: Achieving Fiscal Balance, 2008: A policy paper on local government financial reform outlined starting principles and recommended a task force to explore, recommend, and oversee local government financial reform.
UBCM Fact Sheets
Easy-to-read, easy-to-understand information on local government operations. Subjects include the role and powers of elected officials, taxation, planning process, policing, and bylaws. Fact Sheets are updated every four years, in conjunction with local government general elections. Finance related: Financial Planning & Accounting | Local Government Revenues and Expenses | Assessment | Taxation | Capital Expenditures | Borrowing & Contracts | The Municipal Finance Authority