Vancouver’s 2026 budget has a 0% property tax increase, which sounds great. But your actual bill has several moving parts, and some of them aren’t the City’s.
What did the City decide?
Council approved a 2026 budget built on a 0% property tax increase, with a $2.39 billion operating budget. The City says it doesn’t collect more tax just because property values rise, because Council sets the total amount first and then divides it across properties.
What goes up?
- Water: 4.0%
- Sewer: 5.5%
- Solid waste (garbage and green bin): 1.6%
- All utilities combined: 4.2%, after a big 18.2% jump in 2025
- Neighbourhood Energy Utility customers: 3.2%
- For a median single-family home, property tax and utilities together: about 1.7%
The City puts the utility increase down to replacing aging pipes and higher Metro Vancouver water and sewer charges.
Where does a typical property tax bill actually go?
Here’s the City’s 2025 breakdown for a median single-family home, which adds up to roughly $8,900 a year:
- City of Vancouver (tax and utilities): $5,057, or 57%
- Provincial school tax, after the home owner grant: $1,549, or 17%
- Metro Vancouver (tax and utilities): $1,536, or 17%
- TransLink: $694, or 8%
- BC Assessment and Municipal Finance Authority: $79, or 1%
So about 43% of what you pay never goes to the City at all, and the 0% only covers the City’s share. Once everything is added up, Vancouver’s total for a median single-family home was the second highest of the Metro municipalities the City compared, behind only West Vancouver.
Is my own bill staying flat?
Not necessarily. Your share depends on how your assessment moves compared with other properties in your class, plus the other authorities’ rates and the utilities above. A 0% City increase is a starting point, not a guarantee.
What’s changing in provincial school tax?
- From 2026, residential school tax rates grow with the three-year average growth in BC’s economy, instead of last year’s inflation rate, before the home owner grant
- From 2027, the additional school tax on homes assessed over $3 million rises: the part from $3 to $4 million goes from 0.2% to 0.3%, and the part above $4 million goes from 0.4% to 0.6%. The Province estimates this reaches about 2.3% of residential properties.
What relief is available?
- Home owner grant: for your principal residence if the assessed value is in the qualifying range. The City notes a median single-family home assessed at $2.2 million could qualify for $425 in 2025, up from $295 in 2024.
- Property tax deferment: for owners 55 or older, and for families with children under 18. It’s effectively a loan from the Province, and for 2026 and later years the interest rate is prime plus 2%, compounded monthly. Amounts deferred before 2026 keep their old terms.
- Five-year land assessment averaging: Vancouver phases in big assessment jumps for eligible residential properties.
- Assessment Act s19(8): if you’ve lived in your principal residence continuously for at least 10 years, assessment can be based on current zoning, not development potential.
Other City budget items households may notice
The City’s fee table says recreation user fees rise 2.0% to 5.0%, but a note in the operating budget says Council directed recreation fees to stay at 2025 rates, so check the current fee schedule before you register for programs. The budget also plans for about 14% more parking revenue and about 40% more bylaw fine revenue than 2025, so it’s worth a second look at parking signs and permits.
Two property filings that don’t change with the budget
If you own residential property in Vancouver, you may still have an Empty Homes Tax declaration and a BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax declaration. From January 1, 2027, the SVT rate for foreign owners and untaxed worldwide earners rises from 3% to 4%, and a missed March 31 declaration will carry a $250 late penalty. Our SVT and Empty Homes Tax guide has the details.
How HJ Wu & Company Inc. helps
We help owners file property declarations, plan for tax bills and check whether a deferment or grant makes sense. See tax services or contact the firm.
Official sources
- City of Vancouver: Council approves 2026 Budget
- City of Vancouver: 2026 Budget (PDF)
- BC government: Budget 2026 tax changes
Reviewed October 31, 2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, so confirm current requirements with the official sources above and speak to a CPA about your situation.
Talk to HJ Wu & Company Inc.
Phone: 604-636-1862
Email: inquiry@hjwucpa.com
512 - 938 Howe Street, Vancouver
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Quick answers about HJ Wu & Company Inc. and how the firm can help. See all FAQs
Not necessarily. The 0% applies to the City’s own property tax. Utility fees are rising 4.2%, and the provincial school tax, TransLink, Metro Vancouver and other authorities set their own amounts. For a median single-family home the City says combined municipal tax and utilities rise about 1.7%. Your bill also depends on how your assessment compares with others in your property class.
Yes. If you own residential property in Vancouver or elsewhere in BC, HJ Wu & Company Inc. can help work out which filings apply: the City of Vancouver Empty Homes Tax (EHT) and the BC Speculation and Vacancy Tax (SVT) continue every year. The federal Underused Housing Tax (UHT) was repealed for 2025 and later years, but returns and penalties for 2022 to 2024 can still matter. Contact HJ Wu & Company Inc. before a deadline passes.
It starts with an initial consultation, then a needs assessment, and then HJ Wu & Company Inc. builds a plan around your goals. Cost depends on what you need, whether that's a one-time tax return or ongoing bookkeeping and payroll, so the firm quotes after learning about your situation. Call 604-636-1862 or email inquiry@hjwucpa.com to book your consultation.