Where did things land (pardon the pun) with the property tax increase this year?
If you are a property owner in Kamloops, you likely recently received a notice with what amount you owe in property tax for 2026.
The amount of your property tax this year depends on two main factors: the assessed value of your property, set by BC Assessment, and the tax rate of your property type (residential, commercial, etc.), which is set by City Council. The tax rates, applied to every property in the City according to its “property class”, are calculated to raise enough tax revenue to fund all of the services the City provides and its operations, plus some additional projects and programs called supplemental budget items, for the next year. The Tax Rates Bylaw No. 63-3, 2026, which was adopted this past April, outlines the municipal tax rate for different property classes (listed in Schedule “A” and Schedule “B” of the bylaw).
The Tax Rates Bylaw includes the final 2026 provisional tax rate increase that Council agreed to of 5.7%. The increase was reduced from the initial estimate of 10.76% presented to Council by the City staff in Fall of 2025. The reduction from 10.76% to 5.7% was in part due to Council’s consideration of more than 35 options that the City staff presented as possible ways to reduce the City’s expenses. The biggest decision from those discussions was to conservatively manage staffing vacancies and only fill critical positions in 2026, to reduce the cost of staffing.
If you would like more information on Council’s decision making process and what happened with the 35 options, it can be found here and here.
Prior to the 35 options presented by Staff at a Closed December 2025 Council meeting, several other budget reductions had already been decided upon at the January 20th, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting. These included the decisions to reduce maintenance of the Stuart Wood site, Ministry of Transportation and Transit interchange areas, non-playing fields, and lanes. Several other decisions were made in favor of reducing costs, with changes to the proposed RCMP and firefighter staffing levels for 2026, and pausing the Community Climate Action Plan contribution (which is intended to be 0.35% compounding annually).
The municipal budget process is undoubtedly complex and there will always be very tough decisions regarding what the priorities are for the community. As an organization that champions sustainability, climate action, and seeing the commitment to the Community Climate Action Plan honoured, of course the decision to pause its funding comes as a disappointment to Transition Kamloops. During the Community Climate Action Plan levy’s short five-year history, it has been tenuously included in past budgets and was reduced by half in 2024, so this year’s pause is not a shock. It’s evident from the other severe cuts made to maintenance and staffing levels that a lower tax rate was a priority for Council. Is it a coincidence that this is occurring in an election year? Who’s to say. But what is clear is that funding for climate action may be impacted in other avenues as well, as the Province of BC did not include the Local Government Climate Action Program in its 2026 budget. For many municipalities, this is the only funding received for climate action, and without it they are forced to find alternate funding sources or eliminate programs and staff.
There are many groups advocating for the reinstatement of the Local Government Climate Program, including the Union of BC Municipalities. Transition Kamloops has submitted letters to the two Kamloops MLAs, Premier Eby, and relevant ministers advocating for the continuation of the Local Government Climate Action Program. If you would like to take action, please see our article and letter here.
It’s too late for our local climate action fund this year, but we remain optimistic for 2027 and will be vigilant regarding public budgeting engagement and input opportunities. Stay tuned as this conversation always starts up in the Fall, and it will be a brand new Council term!
Transition Kamloops
Transition Kamloops is a volunteer-driven, registered not-for-profit society focused on increasing local resilience and self-sufficiency in food, water, energy, culture and wellness. We emphasize a local economy, healthy ecosystems, and grassroots community building, while reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. We believe in a better way: a community that sustains life in all its diversity, strives for equality and justice and invests in the future.
Transition Kamloops recognizes that we are living on Secwépemcul’ecw—land that was never ceded to settlers, and continues to be home to vibrant Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions. We acknowledge the impact of colonization, forced displacement, and ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous peoples. We commit to listening, learning, and building positive relationships with Indigenous communities as we work towards reconciliation.
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