Prince George taxpayers pay the second-highest municipal property taxes per capita, among B.C.’s 20 largest municipalities, according to a Citizen analysis of data released by BC Stats.
However, that fact doesn’t tell the whole story. The City of Prince George was the only city, among the province’s 20 largest, to see its municipal property taxes per capita drop over the past five years – going from $1,474 per capita in 2018 down to $1,464 in 2022 – a 0.68 per cent drop.
The 19 other municipalities on the list saw their municipal property taxes per capita go up between 2.89 per cent and 27.47 per cent between 2018 and 2022.
While the total taxes collected by the City of Prince George rose from $103.66 million in 2018 to $120.51 million in 2022, the city saw a significant growth in its tax base.
According to BC Stats population estimates, the city’s population grew from 70,316 to 82,326 over that five-year span. The value of the taxable property in the city also grew, going from $9.54 billion in 2018 to $13.88 billion in 2022 – a 45.37 per cent increase in five years.
But for the average homeowner, what matters is their property tax bill. When comparing the total taxes and fees for an average home, Prince George was the third-lowest among the province’s 20 largest municipalities – only Kamloops and Chilliwack residents paid less taxes and fees on an average-priced home in 2022.
Prince George also had the lowest average home price among the 20 municipalities at $410,891 – more than 50 per cent cheaper than Kamloops, which was second-lowest at $631,269. Lower home prices and low property taxes and fees make Prince George the most affordable big city in B.C. to own a house.
2022 MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAXES PER CAPITA
1) City of Victoria: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,649, Five-year change: Up 8.63%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,222, Average home value: $1,150,024
2) City of Prince George: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,464, Five-year change: Down 0.68%, Average home total taxes and fees: $4,942, Average home value: $410,891
3) City of Delta: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,436, Five-year change: Up 6.77%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,793, Average home value: $1,349,938
4) City of Vancouver: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,404, Five-year change: Up 16.13%, Average home total taxes and fees: $8,520, Average home value: $2,490,709
5) City of Naniamo: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,299, Five-year change: Up 18.96%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,355, Average home value: $718,471
6) City of North Vancouver: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,290, Five-year change: Up 12.17%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,712, Average home value: $1,875,885
7) City of Richmond: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,262, Five-year change: Up 27.47%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,956, Average home value: $1,846,416
8) City of Kamloops: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,256, Five-year change: Up 8.09%, Average home total taxes and fees: $4,823, Average home value: $631,269
9) District of Saanich: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,214, Five-year change: Up 16.5%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,485, Average home value: $1,173,327
10) District of North Vancouver: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,209, Five-year change: Up 2.89%, Average home total taxes and fees: $7,634, Average home value: $2,068,420
11) City of Burnaby: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,202, Five-year change: Up 7.7%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,485, Average home value: $1,810,127
12) Township of Langley: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,187, Five-year change: Up 16.49%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,624, Average home value: $1,353,926
13) City of Port Coquitlam: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,183, Five-year change: Up 14.85%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,388, Average home value: $1,254,912
14) City of Kelowna: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,179, Five-year change: Up 7.47%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,188, Average home value: $961,555
15) City of New Westminster: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,167, Five-year change: Up 11.04%, Average home total taxes and fees: $9,417, Average home value: $1,424,241
16) City of Coquitlam: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,129, Five-year change: Up 16.99%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,465, Average home value: $1,531,162
17) City of Maple Ridge: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,049, Five-year change: Up 14.64%, Average home total taxes and fees: $5,850, Average home value: $1,610,955
18) City of Abbotsford: Municipal taxes per capita: $1,008, Five-year change: Up 7.46%, Average home total taxes and fees: $4,996, Average home value: $1,073,791
19) City of Chilliwack: Municipal taxes per capita: $904, Five-year change: Up 13.85%, Average home total taxes and fees: $4,412, Average home value: $883,209
20) City of Surrey: Municipal taxes per capita: $693, Five-year change: Up 10.7%, Average home total taxes and fees: $6,089, Average home value: $1,539,883
BUDGET PRESSURE
Prince George city council will begin budget deliberations for 2023 on Jan. 30 facing a projected 7.22 per cent tax increase to maintain existing service levels.
In addition, a consultant’s report on police service levels in the city, presented to city council last month, recommended that the city should hire 19 additional uniformed police officers, 10 additional civilian support staff, an unknown number of additional data entry personnel and a “peer navigator” based in the Prince George Public Library, over the next five years. The cost of filling those positions was estimated to require a budget increase of $1 million each year, from 2023 to 2027.
A second report, coming to city council on March 1, is expected to recommend increasing staff and funding for the Prince George Fire Rescue Service to meet increasing pressures on the fire department.
Rising home prices in Prince George, combined with rising taxes, could erode Prince George’s home ownership affordability over time.
