Saturday November 1, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
Opinion-Editorial by John Wilson, CEO, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce | Republished by Island Social Trends
Municipalities across the Greater Victoria capital region (CRD) include Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Langford, Colwood, North Saanich, Central Saanich, Metchosin, View Royal, Highlands, Sooke and the Juan de Fuca Electoral areas.
Together they also govern regionally as the Capital Regional District (CRD). The CRD has responsibility for hospitals, housing, water supply, sewage treatment, an agricultural strategy, transportation strategies, environmental strategies, and more.
Municipalities are responsible to deliver a wide range of services to residents including housing development permits, transportation, recreation facilities, parks and greenspaces, sidewalks and infrastructure of various kinds, policing and firefighting services.
Municipalities interface with things that are provided or managed by library boards, school districts and sometimes also the province.
To suggest that municipalities not levy an increase in their taxes for 2026 means that — due to inflation, the cost of debt, the impact of tariffs, and other factors — that quite possibly the level of service to residents would be held at current levels or even decreased.
Wilson’s challenge:
In an opinion piece issued by Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO John Wilson on October 29, 2025 (see below) the message includes a challenge to municipalities to exercise restraint by focusing on needs not wants.
Having covered municipal news for years, Island Social Trends observes that it would be hard to find any CRD municipality that is not already making hard choices and balancing that with the needs of residents — especially in municipalities that are experiencing significant growth pressures (like Langford and Colwood).
Wilson suggests that municipalities “stay focused on their core responsibilities”. In the last 10 years or so, most municipalities have found themselves taking on ‘downloaded’ responsibilities for things like health care (a provincial responsibility).
Municipalities that take on ‘additional’ responsibilities will argue that they are serving the needs of their residents with services that are expected in communities. When people relocate from larger cities (especially from places with more robust economies like Ontario and Alberta) they are expecting to find a similar range of services and supports as provided in larger urban centres.
Election timing:
This stance by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce comes one year out from the next municipal election, which is scheduled for October 17, 2026.
This is a time when new candidates might be stepping forward and when current mayors and councillors are indicating their intention to run again or not.
Municipalities must focus on needs not wants this budget season
by John Wilson, CEO, Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
“If the largest city in Western Canada can aim for a zero per cent property tax increase, surely those municipalities with a fraction of Vancouver’s budget can do the same. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim recently announced that he is directing staff to stop spending money that doesn’t need to be spent — a decisive response to an initial staff recommendation for a seven per cent increase.
“It takes courage to stand up for what’s right, and Sim has been clear that “zero means zero.” This kind of leadership should be inspirational for mayors across the province. On behalf of Greater Victoria’s business community — and everyone concerned about ballooning government spending — The Chamber is calling on all 13 municipalities in our region to follow Vancouver’s lead.
“Of course, we recognize this is a significant ask. But we also know there are many capable people working in local government, and many elected officials who understand that the heady days of unchallenged spending during the pandemic are over. Now is the time to show fiscal discipline and a renewed commitment to economic resilience.
“As local governments across B.C. begin their budget processes this fall, they have an opportunity to demonstrate that they truly support local economic growth. That support starts with restraint.
“The past five years have buffeted society with wave after wave of challenges. Ongoing disruptions to Canada’s trading relationship with the U.S. continue to cause economic uncertainty. But these broader issues make it even more important for municipalities to stay focused on their core responsibilities. Local governments don’t help anyone by spending beyond their means.
“Property taxes are not paid by property owners alone. Any increase ultimately leads to higher rents and higher costs for the goods and services businesses provide. That’s a burden every resident feels.
“From personal experience, I can tell you that people in the private sector understand a hard truth: raising prices to pay for things that are “nice to have” rather than “must have” is not sustainable. Local governments need to apply the same discipline. We count on local government to fund policing and bylaw officers needed to keep all of us safe at home, at work and everywhere in between. We also need infrastructure for thinks like water, transportation and waste removal. But do we really need the many quality of life projects? Things like interpretive signage or cultural programs are great, but they really need a hard look if they’re taking money away from what people need for housing, food and work.
“This fall, we urge all mayors, councillors and municipal staff to take a hard look at their budgets and separate needs from wants. Doing so can help return municipalities to surplus positions, creating the flexibility to expand services and programs responsibly in the future.
“The Chamber is ready to meet with any council in Greater Victoria that wants to discuss how to better support business. After all, we’ve been the unapologetic voice of business since 1863 and have witnessed more than our share of economic ups and downs.
“In short, here’s what members of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce want municipal councils to hear: stop spending money on things that are not critical to the core requirements of running a municipality. We simply can’t afford it.”
===== SOURCE:
Th Chamber op-ed was emailed to all members of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce (Island Social Trends is a member).
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