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City Pop Band: 1,500-5,000

Grand Forks

Kootenay Boundary (KOO)

Population

4,308

Land Area

1,019

ha

Annual Operating Budget

$15.6M

expenses

Grand Forks Population Trend

Annual population estimates sourced from BC Stats / Alberta Municipal Affairs. Used as the denominator for all per-capita metrics on this page. Learn more ↗

Annual estimates, 2011–2025

4,308+6.7% since 2011

Fiscal Trends (2021–2024)

Total revenue and total operating expenses per resident over 4 fiscal years. Shows whether the municipality's fiscal position has been improving or declining. Learn more ↗

Revenue and expense per person over 4 years

Fiscal Report Card

These metrics reflect reported financial data and do not capture local context such as major infrastructure investments, one-time grants, natural disasters, or policy decisions. Learn more

Fiscal Trajectory

Composite score (0–10) measuring the 4-year trajectory of fiscal health across revenue growth, expense control, debt reduction, and operating surplus. Higher is better. Score is relative to all municipalities in your population band. Learn more ↗
Top of Band

69.9

score
6.2% Band Min
86.8% Band Max
Band Avg: 50.0%
BC Avg: 50.0%

Fiscal trajectory score of 69.9 is above the band average of 50.0, placing this municipality among improving peers.

Rank 15/105 2021–2024 data
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Fiscal Balance

Operating surplus (revenues minus expenses) divided by population. Positive means the municipality took in more than it spent. Higher is better. Learn more ↗
Top of Band

$2,163

/ person
-$5,690 Band Min
$9,691 Band Max
Band Avg: $904
BC Avg: $930

Operating surplus of $2,163/person is 2.4× the band average of $904. Ranks 15th of 106 in the band.

Rank 15/106 2024 data
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Tax Burden

Own-source taxation per resident — property taxes and other local levies set by the municipality. Lower is better (lighter burden on residents). Does not include provincial school taxes. Learn more ↗
Top of Band

$1,058

/ person
$385 Band Min
$18,131 Band Max
Band Avg: $2,643
BC Avg: $2,010

Per-person taxation of $1,058 is 60% below the band average of $2,643, ranking 26th of 106 in the band.

Rank 26/106 2024 data
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Debt Load

Annual debt payments as a percentage of the provincial statutory borrowing limit. Lower is better — more room for future infrastructure borrowing. 100% = at the legal ceiling. Learn more ↗
Top of Band

6.6%

capacity used
0.0% Band Min
87.4% Band Max
Band Avg: 13.7%
BC Avg: 11.9%

Liability servicing capacity used is 6.6%, leaving significant room for strategic borrowing if needed.

Rank 36/106 2024 data
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Revenue Resilience

Provincial and federal grants and transfers as a share of total revenue. Lower is better — the municipality is more financially self-sufficient. Note: high grant dependency may reflect dedicated capital programs, not fiscal weakness. Learn more ↗
Bottom of Band

41.1%

grant dependency
1.3% Band Min
65.1% Band Max
Band Avg: 22.1%
BC Avg: 23.6%

Grant dependency of 41.1% is above the band average of 22.1%. More reliant on transfers than typical peers.

Rank 98/106 2024 data
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Service Efficiency

Total operating expenses per resident across all municipal services. Lower is better — delivering services at lower per-person cost. Smaller municipalities often have higher per-capita costs due to fixed overhead. Learn more ↗
Mid-Band

$3,616

/ person
$1,435 Band Min
$26,604 Band Max
Band Avg: $4,471
BC Avg: $3,918

Total spending of $3,616/person is $855 below the band average, ranking 61st of 106 for service efficiency.

Rank 61/106 2024 data
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What's Driving These Numbers

Tax Revenue by Property Class

Tax levy collected from each property class — how the tax burden is distributed across residential, commercial, industrial, and other property owners. Year coverage varies by data availability.

How the annual municipal tax levy is split across property classes. A higher residential share means homeowners carry more of the tax burden.

Share of total municipal tax levy by property class
Bottom of Band

Annual Homeowner Cost

Estimated taxes on a median-value home

A typical homeowner pays $6,637/year — 147% above the band average of $2,689.

Estimated annual property tax bill on a median-value home (all dwelling types — not single-family only). See methodology.

Learn more ↗

$6,637 / yr

$213 Band Min
$12,750 Band Max
Band Avg: $2,689
BC Avg: $4,403
99th of 105 in band
Bottom of Band

Residential Tax Base

Share of assessed property value from residential

84.2% of the tax base is residential, above the band average of 68.2%. Less diversified than typical peers.

Learn more ↗

84.2%

4.7% Band Min
99.8% Band Max
Band Avg: 68.2%
BC Avg: 77.1%
77th of 105 in band
Top of Band

Population Growth

Change over 5 years (2020–2025)

Population grew 2.5% over 5 years, compared to the band average of 5.0%.

Learn more ↗

+2.5%

-13.1% Band Min
24.7% Band Max
Band Avg: 5.0%
BC Avg: 12.6%
56th of 92 in band
Bottom of Band

Development Activity

Building permit value per capita (trailing 12 months)

$2,040 in building permits per person, below the band average of $7,717.

Based on 11 months of data

Learn more ↗

$2,040 / cap

$2,040 Band Min
$22,202 Band Max
Band Avg: $7,717
BC Avg: $4,650
13th of 13 in band

Revenue Breakdown / person

Per-capita revenue by source — how much each resident contributes through each funding stream. Own-Source Tax = municipal property taxes. Transfers = federal and provincial grants. Service Sales = utility and fee revenues.

Expense Breakdown / person

Per-capita operating expenses by municipal service category. Municipalities with water, sewer, or transit utilities will show higher totals.

Peer Comparison

Comparing against 42 municipalities in the 1,500-5,000 band.

MunicipalityTypePopulation▼Rev/CapExp/CapSurplus/CapDebt/CapTax BillTax Coll. %Liab. Used %5yr Growth
CumberlandV4,974$3,054$2,068$986$1,911$6,19698.1%26.4%+9.4%
VanderhoofD4,545$3,134$2,622$512$542$4,68697.8%16.1%+0.3%
Bowen IslandD4,501$3,770$2,805$965$2,686$11,15998.1%26.1%+6.4%
SparwoodD4,486$4,236$3,294$942$997$4,07499.0%13.3%+6.1%
GoldenT4,433$3,793$3,266$527$1,084$5,66198.0%87.4%+7.7%
Northern RockiesD4,400$9,736$8,810$927$4,902—87.4%19.3%—
RosslandC4,355$4,062$2,702$1,360$1,639$7,00398.5%22.2%+4.7%
Grand ForksC4,308$5,779$3,616$2,163$605$6,63795.1%6.6%+2.5%
InvermereD4,305$3,520$2,876$644$2,331$5,89698.9%29.0%+9.3%
LantzvilleD4,276$1,726$1,435$292$900$8,29596.9%8.8%+9.9%
Port HardyD4,201$2,873$2,793$80$671$4,27995.3%15.7%+3.3%
Lake CowichanT3,757$2,810$1,738$1,071$0$6,16896.9%0.4%+7.3%
PembertonV3,620$4,161$3,431$731$1,043$4,568102.5%18.4%+7.6%
MackenzieD3,442$5,292$4,053$1,239$0$3,24982.9%0.2%-6.1%
EnderbyC3,292$3,342$1,810$1,532$581$4,46397.6%10.8%+4.1%
HoustonD3,114$4,531$3,362$1,169$297$4,53197.0%4.2%-2.0%
PrincetonT3,050$6,414$3,841$2,572$2,379$3,06094.1%23.4%+1.9%
ElkfordD3,030$4,866$3,384$1,482$3,468$4,45999.1%23.1%+7.2%
SicamousD2,854$6,913$4,347$2,565$2,227$4,69797.3%17.7%+7.4%
TofinoD2,772$12,822$6,299$6,523$6,246$7,96599.7%18.2%+5.8%
HighlandsD2,753$1,611$1,472$140$40$5,83696.6%7.6%+8.9%
Tumbler RidgeD2,663$7,559$6,196$1,363$0$2,85199.4%3.9%+11.2%
ChaseV2,591$2,437$1,945$492$684$4,13897.9%13.9%+5.5%
AnmoreV2,508$3,007$2,059$948$972$12,75097.4%12.6%+2.3%
ClearwaterD2,500$3,394$3,076$318$60$4,18597.9%4.6%+3.1%
ChetwyndD2,484$4,862$3,727$1,135$1,160$4,19098.6%10.5%+0.9%
UclueletD2,452$6,044$3,646$2,398$588$6,16698.8%19.2%+19.0%
Port McNeillT2,402$2,461$2,215$246$445$3,859102.4%15.7%-0.4%
Logan LakeD2,337$4,319$2,752$1,567$102$3,14098.5%16.4%+2.1%
LumbyV2,257$2,840$1,645$1,196$82$4,67793.3%3.9%+7.5%
Harrison Hot SpringsV2,148$4,261$2,957$1,305$129$4,97194.6%2.6%+13.7%
FruitvaleV2,068$2,107$1,673$434$1,014$5,47096.3%16.3%+2.6%
LillooetD2,065$4,012$3,784$229$0$4,79196.4%0.0%-13.1%
100 Mile HouseD2,030$3,912$3,565$348$0$4,00698.2%0.5%+2.2%
Burns LakeV2,007$7,155$3,439$3,716$0$4,34392.7%31.1%+1.7%
KeremeosV1,779$1,631$1,591$40$82$3,80397.8%3.6%+11.0%
AshcroftV1,744$2,950$2,551$399$0$4,17493.5%0.0%+3.4%
NakuspV1,740$4,281$3,376$905$611$4,35096.2%9.8%+5.0%
WarfieldV1,729$1,996$1,883$113$172$5,50297.3%23.0%-2.0%
Sun PeaksV1,546$6,424$6,079$345$8,533$6,64799.1%48.1%+13.3%
TelkwaV1,544$3,531$2,193$1,338$89$5,18195.1%7.4%+1.7%
Fort St. JamesD1,542$7,183$4,492$2,691$134$3,74697.5%2.1%+2.4%