BC Municipal Expense Growth Rate Rankings

Compound annual growth rate of total expenses per capita from 2021 to 2024.

153 municipalities ranked Lower is better

Lowest — Best Performing

1. Fraser Lake (Under 1,500) -39.3% 2. Lytton (Under 1,500) -7.8% 3. Slocan (Under 1,500) -4.9% 4. Grand Forks (1,500-5,000) -4.1% 5. Clinton (Under 1,500) -1.3%

Highest — Needs Attention

149. Oliver (5,000-15,000) 16.6% 150. Tofino (1,500-5,000) 17.0% 151. Zeballos (Under 1,500) 19.3% 152. Canal Flats (Under 1,500) 20.8% 153. Masset (Under 1,500) 28.2%

Distribution

Top of Band

Mid-Band

Bottom of Band

About this Metric

Low value means

Spending growth is moderate or flat relative to peers.

High value means

Spending is growing faster than peers — may signal expanding services or cost pressures.

For Councillors

Track this alongside revenue growth. Expense growth exceeding revenue growth is structurally unsustainable.

For Residents

Faster expense growth often leads to future tax increases.

Full Rankings

Click column headers to sort. Filter by population band.

Swipe table to see all columns

Prov. # ▲	Municipality	Type	Population	Value	Band Rank	vs Band Avg
1	Fraser Lake	V	942	-39.3%	1 of 190	-1049%
2	Lytton	V	228	-7.8%	7 of 190	-289%
3	Slocan	V	488	-4.9%	10 of 190	-217%
4	Grand Forks	C	4,308	-4.1%	3 of 105	-169%
5	Clinton	V	707	-1.3%	27 of 190	-132%
6	Lumby	V	2,257	-0.4%	11 of 105	-107%
7	Spallumcheen	D	5,843	-0.0%	10 of 89	-101%
8	Merritt	C	7,190	0.4%	12 of 89	-91%
9	Terrace	C	13,648	0.5%	13 of 89	-89%
10	Pouce Coupe	V	813	0.8%	51 of 190	-81%
11	Salmo	V	1,310	1.4%	64 of 190	-66%
12	Langley	C	35,444	1.6%	5 of 48	-70%
13	Kent	D	7,093	1.9%	17 of 89	-57%
14	Trail	C	8,539	2.0%	18 of 89	-55%
15	Lake Cowichan	T	3,757	2.3%	22 of 105	-60%
16	Enderby	C	3,292	2.4%	24 of 105	-60%
17	Ladysmith	T	9,926	2.6%	24 of 89	-41%
18	View Royal	T	12,795	2.9%	27 of 89	-35%
19	Stewart	D	515	3.1%	89 of 190	-25%
20	Ucluelet	D	2,452	3.2%	30 of 105	-45%
21	Highlands	D	2,753	3.3%	32 of 105	-45%
22	Tumbler Ridge	D	2,663	3.3%	33 of 105	-43%
23	Princeton	T	3,050	3.5%	36 of 105	-41%
24	White Rock	C	25,057	3.5%	13 of 48	-33%
25	Kimberley	C	9,037	3.5%	29 of 89	-20%
26	Chetwynd	D	2,484	3.5%	37 of 105	-40%
27	Port Clements	V	352	3.7%	95 of 190	-11%
28	Lantzville	D	4,276	3.9%	39 of 105	-35%
29	Surrey	C	703,531	3.9%	3 of 10	-17%
30	Richmond	C	239,584	3.9%	4 of 10	-15%
31	Coquitlam	C	173,599	4.1%	5 of 10	-12%
32	Burnaby	C	299,682	4.1%	6 of 10	-12%
33	Radium Hot Springs	V	1,489	4.1%	104 of 190	-1%
34	Langley	D	163,885	4.2%	7 of 10	-10%
35	Delta	C	124,670	4.2%	7 of 22	-4%
36	Salmon Arm	C	20,891	4.3%	16 of 48	-16%
37	Central Saanich	D	18,184	4.4%	17 of 48	-14%
38	Port Moody	C	38,285	4.5%	18 of 48	-14%
39	Chase	V	2,591	4.5%	41 of 105	-24%
40	Sidney	T	13,445	4.6%	38 of 89	+4%
41	Houston	D	3,114	4.6%	42 of 105	-21%
42	Fort St. John	C	24,383	4.7%	21 of 48	-9%
43	North Vancouver	D	97,845	4.8%	8 of 22	+8%
44	Langford	C	59,664	4.8%	9 of 22	+10%
45	Valemount	V	1,082	4.8%	111 of 190	+17%
46	Montrose	V	1,072	4.9%	113 of 190	+18%
47	New Westminster	C	92,124	4.9%	10 of 22	+12%
48	Colwood	C	22,794	4.9%	22 of 48	-5%
49	Golden	T	4,433	5.0%	44 of 105	-16%
50	Mackenzie	D	3,442	5.0%	45 of 105	-15%
51	Elkford	D	3,030	5.0%	46 of 105	-15%
52	Logan Lake	D	2,337	5.1%	47 of 105	-14%
53	Clearwater	D	2,500	5.1%	48 of 105	-14%
54	North Vancouver	C	66,624	5.1%	11 of 22	+16%
55	Williams Lake	C	11,462	5.2%	40 of 89	+18%
56	Mission	C	47,280	5.2%	24 of 48	+1%
57	Sparwood	D	4,486	5.4%	51 of 105	-9%
58	Nanaimo	C	111,845	5.5%	14 of 22	+26%
59	Gold River	V	1,339	5.6%	121 of 190	+35%
60	Nelson	C	12,126	5.6%	48 of 89	+27%
61	Belcarra	V	702	5.6%	122 of 190	+35%
62	Telkwa	V	1,544	5.6%	53 of 105	-5%
63	100 Mile House	D	2,030	5.6%	54 of 105	-4%
64	Port Coquitlam	C	67,724	5.7%	16 of 22	+29%
65	Chilliwack	C	105,520	5.7%	17 of 22	+30%
66	Ashcroft	V	1,744	5.8%	55 of 105	-2%
67	Port McNeill	T	2,402	5.8%	56 of 105	-2%
68	Quesnel	C	10,253	5.8%	51 of 89	+32%
69	Prince George	C	85,944	5.8%	18 of 22	+32%
70	Nakusp	V	1,740	5.9%	61 of 105	-1%
71	Sun Peaks	V	1,546	5.9%	62 of 105	-0%
72	Pitt Meadows	C	20,892	5.9%	27 of 48	+13%
73	Maple Ridge	C	105,925	6.0%	19 of 22	+35%
74	Parksville	C	15,371	6.0%	28 of 48	+16%
75	North Saanich	D	12,986	6.0%	53 of 89	+37%
76	Cumberland	V	4,974	6.1%	63 of 105	+3%
77	Creston	T	5,976	6.2%	54 of 89	+41%
78	Squamish	D	28,578	6.3%	29 of 48	+22%
79	New Hazelton	D	666	6.4%	131 of 190	+54%
80	Revelstoke	C	9,464	6.5%	58 of 89	+48%
81	Dawson Creek	C	13,635	6.6%	59 of 89	+50%
82	Lions Bay	V	1,375	6.6%	135 of 190	+60%
83	Vancouver	C	740,454	6.6%	8 of 10	+43%
84	Vernon	C	49,527	6.6%	30 of 48	+28%
85	Campbell River	C	38,300	6.6%	31 of 48	+28%
86	Port Hardy	D	4,201	6.6%	66 of 105	+12%
87	Cache Creek	V	1,053	6.6%	136 of 190	+60%
88	Warfield	V	1,729	6.7%	67 of 105	+13%
89	New Denver	V	527	6.7%	137 of 190	+62%
90	Kamloops	C	108,793	6.8%	20 of 22	+53%
91	Sooke	D	17,248	6.8%	32 of 48	+32%
92	Invermere	D	4,305	6.9%	68 of 105	+16%
93	West Kelowna	C	40,274	6.9%	33 of 48	+32%
94	Courtenay	C	32,869	7.0%	34 of 48	+34%
95	Cranbrook	C	22,703	7.0%	35 of 48	+35%
96	Abbotsford	C	175,358	7.0%	9 of 10	+52%
97	Anmore	V	2,508	7.1%	70 of 105	+19%
98	Bowen Island	D	4,501	7.1%	71 of 105	+19%
99	West Vancouver	D	47,929	7.1%	36 of 48	+36%
100	Esquimalt	D	19,512	7.1%	38 of 48	+37%
101	Armstrong	C	5,643	7.1%	66 of 89	+61%
102	Fernie	C	7,086	7.1%	67 of 89	+62%
103	Comox	T	15,884	7.2%	40 of 48	+38%
104	Whistler	D	15,090	7.2%	39 of 48	+38%
105	North Cowichan	D	34,525	7.2%	41 of 48	+38%
106	McBride	V	646	7.2%	142 of 190	+73%
107	Penticton	C	39,068	7.2%	42 of 48	+38%
108	Kelowna	C	167,654	7.2%	10 of 10	+56%
109	Qualicum Beach	T	9,640	7.5%	69 of 89	+70%
110	Keremeos	V	1,779	7.6%	75 of 105	+29%
111	Castlegar	C	9,465	7.7%	70 of 89	+75%
112	Harrison Hot Springs	V	2,148	7.8%	76 of 105	+32%
113	Sicamous	D	2,854	7.8%	77 of 105	+33%
114	Saanich	D	126,011	7.9%	21 of 22	+79%
115	Summerland	D	12,343	8.0%	72 of 89	+82%
116	Powell River	C	14,947	8.3%	74 of 89	+87%
117	Lake Country	D	17,637	8.4%	45 of 48	+61%
118	Smithers	T	5,627	8.4%	75 of 89	+90%
119	Hudson's Hope	D	1,019	8.4%	149 of 190	+102%
120	Kaslo	V	1,141	8.4%	150 of 190	+103%
121	Sechelt	D	11,558	8.4%	78 of 89	+91%
122	Coldstream	D	11,380	8.5%	79 of 89	+92%
123	Vanderhoof	D	4,545	8.6%	83 of 105	+45%
124	Alert Bay	V	465	8.6%	152 of 190	+107%
125	Oak Bay	D	18,626	8.6%	46 of 48	+66%
126	Granisle	V	357	8.7%	154 of 190	+111%
127	Taylor	D	1,415	8.8%	155 of 190	+112%
128	Rossland	C	4,355	8.8%	85 of 105	+50%
129	Prince Rupert	C	12,903	9.0%	81 of 89	+104%
130	Hope	D	7,183	9.1%	82 of 89	+105%
131	Burns Lake	V	2,007	9.2%	87 of 105	+55%
132	Silverton	V	196	9.2%	160 of 190	+122%
133	Metchosin	D	5,207	9.5%	83 of 89	+116%
134	Midway	V	671	9.5%	163 of 190	+130%
135	Osoyoos	T	5,724	10.1%	84 of 89	+128%
136	Victoria	C	103,888	10.1%	22 of 22	+128%
137	Duncan	C	5,745	10.1%	85 of 89	+128%
138	Peachland	D	6,302	10.5%	86 of 89	+138%
139	Port Alberni	C	19,671	10.8%	47 of 48	+109%
140	Sayward	V	329	10.9%	170 of 190	+163%
141	Lillooet	D	2,065	11.0%	91 of 105	+86%
142	Port Alice	V	789	11.0%	172 of 190	+166%
143	Pemberton	V	3,620	11.3%	92 of 105	+91%
144	Fruitvale	V	2,068	11.4%	93 of 105	+92%
145	Gibsons	T	5,090	11.9%	88 of 89	+170%
146	Tahsis	V	418	12.5%	174 of 190	+201%
147	Port Edward	D	442	13.1%	176 of 190	+215%
148	Fort St. James	D	1,542	14.0%	100 of 105	+136%
149	Oliver	T	5,262	16.6%	89 of 89	+277%
150	Tofino	D	2,772	17.0%	101 of 105	+188%
151	Zeballos	V	136	19.3%	184 of 190	+366%
152	Canal Flats	V	889	20.8%	186 of 190	+403%
153	Masset	V	914	28.2%	188 of 190	+581%

Municipalities with Incomplete Data

The following 8 municipalities are excluded from this ranking due to missing or insufficient data points.

Municipality	Type	Reason for Exclusion
Barriere	D	Stale or missing fiscal reporting
Daajing Giids	V	Insufficient historical data points
Greenwood	C	Stale or missing fiscal reporting
Hazelton	V	Stale or missing fiscal reporting
Kitimat	D	Stale or missing fiscal reporting
Northern Rockies	D	Insufficient historical data points
shíshálh Nation Government District	D	Insufficient historical data points
Wells	D	Stale or missing fiscal reporting