The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Vancouver city council to freeze property taxes, warning that homeowners and local businesses are struggling under the weight of rising costs.“Vancouver taxpayers can’t afford massive tax hikes from the city,” said Carson Binda, B.C. director of the CTF, during a presentation to the city’s Standing Committee on City Finance and Services. “Council must freeze taxes instead of taking more and more money from struggling taxpayers and businesses year after year.”City council has raised property taxes by more than 20% over the past three years, and homeowners in Vancouver now face the highest average municipal taxes and fees in the region. The median Vancouver homeowner paid $8,360 in 2024, compared to $7,340 in Surrey, $6,390 in Burnaby, or $5,670 in Delta.Mayor Ken Sim has submitted a motion to the finance committee calling for a tax freeze in the upcoming municipal budget. Binda said higher property taxes would make it harder for families to afford a home and for businesses to stay open and create jobs.“City council must cut wasteful spending to keep costs down for taxpayers,” he said. “Every dollar wasted on six-figure severance packages, million-dollar signs, or FIFA World Cup matches is money that isn’t going towards core services and tax cuts.”
