BC Municipal Expense Volatility Rankings

Coefficient of variation of total expenses per capita across 4 years.

154 municipalities ranked Lower is better

Lowest — Best Performing

1. Pouce Coupe (Under 1,500) 0.02 2. Kent (5,000-15,000) 0.02 3. Trail (5,000-15,000) 0.02 4. Daajing Giids (Under 1,500) 0.03 5. Langley (15,000-50,000) 0.03

Highest — Needs Attention

150. Masset (Under 1,500) 0.28 151. Port Clements (Under 1,500) 0.37 152. Lions Bay (Under 1,500) 0.58 153. Lytton (Under 1,500) 0.61 154. Fraser Lake (Under 1,500) 0.71

Distribution

Top of Band

Mid-Band

Bottom of Band

About this Metric

Low value means

Spending is consistent and predictable from year to year.

High value means

Spending swings significantly between years — budgeting may be reactive rather than planned.

For Councillors

High volatility suggests reactive budgeting rather than strategic financial planning.

For Residents

Stable spending means more predictable services and taxes.

Full Rankings

Click column headers to sort. Filter by population band.

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Prov. # ▲	Municipality	Type	Population	Value	Band Rank	vs Band Avg
1	Pouce Coupe	V	813	0.02	11 of 192	-80%
2	Kent	D	7,093	0.02	6 of 90	-73%
3	Trail	C	8,539	0.02	7 of 90	-72%
4	Daajing Giids	V	999	0.03	13 of 192	-77%
5	Langley	C	35,444	0.03	1 of 48	-59%
6	Spallumcheen	D	5,843	0.03	8 of 90	-70%
7	Enderby	C	3,292	0.03	6 of 105	-66%
8	Tumbler Ridge	D	2,663	0.04	10 of 105	-59%
9	Lumby	V	2,257	0.04	11 of 105	-59%
10	Princeton	T	3,050	0.04	12 of 105	-57%
11	Salmo	V	1,310	0.04	36 of 192	-64%
12	Surrey	C	703,531	0.04	3 of 10	-20%
13	Lantzville	D	4,276	0.04	18 of 105	-51%
14	Ucluelet	D	2,452	0.04	19 of 105	-51%
15	White Rock	C	25,057	0.04	9 of 48	-33%
16	Richmond	C	239,584	0.04	4 of 10	-17%
17	Lake Cowichan	T	3,757	0.04	20 of 105	-49%
18	Burnaby	C	299,682	0.04	5 of 10	-15%
19	Coquitlam	C	173,599	0.04	6 of 10	-14%
20	Delta	C	124,670	0.05	5 of 22	-28%
21	Radium Hot Springs	V	1,489	0.05	54 of 192	-58%
22	Kimberley	C	9,037	0.05	18 of 90	-42%
23	Langley	D	163,885	0.05	7 of 10	-2%
24	Sidney	T	13,445	0.05	20 of 90	-42%
25	Port Moody	C	38,285	0.05	13 of 48	-20%
26	Langford	C	59,664	0.05	6 of 22	-20%
27	Chase	V	2,591	0.05	26 of 105	-38%
28	Salmon Arm	C	20,891	0.05	16 of 48	-16%
29	Elkford	D	3,030	0.05	29 of 105	-37%
30	Fort St. John	C	24,383	0.05	17 of 48	-15%
31	Merritt	C	7,190	0.05	24 of 90	-38%
32	Clinton	V	707	0.06	63 of 192	-51%
33	North Vancouver	D	97,845	0.06	8 of 22	-14%
34	Central Saanich	D	18,184	0.06	19 of 48	-13%
35	New Westminster	C	92,124	0.06	9 of 22	-14%
36	North Vancouver	C	66,624	0.06	10 of 22	-14%
37	Highlands	D	2,753	0.06	30 of 105	-34%
38	Mission	C	47,280	0.06	20 of 48	-12%
39	Golden	T	4,433	0.06	32 of 105	-33%
40	Houston	D	3,114	0.06	33 of 105	-32%
41	Colwood	C	22,794	0.06	21 of 48	-10%
42	Nelson	C	12,126	0.06	26 of 90	-33%
43	100 Mile House	D	2,030	0.06	34 of 105	-31%
44	Port McNeill	T	2,402	0.06	36 of 105	-29%
45	Chetwynd	D	2,484	0.06	37 of 105	-29%
46	Williams Lake	C	11,462	0.06	32 of 90	-30%
47	Sparwood	D	4,486	0.06	40 of 105	-28%
48	Chilliwack	C	105,520	0.06	13 of 22	-3%
49	Nanaimo	C	111,845	0.06	14 of 22	-2%
50	Port Coquitlam	C	67,724	0.06	15 of 22	-2%
51	Grand Forks	C	4,308	0.06	42 of 105	-25%
52	Quesnel	C	10,253	0.06	36 of 90	-26%
53	Ashcroft	V	1,744	0.07	44 of 105	-23%
54	Prince George	C	85,944	0.07	16 of 22	+1%
55	Maple Ridge	C	105,925	0.07	17 of 22	+2%
56	North Saanich	D	12,986	0.07	37 of 90	-25%
57	Creston	T	5,976	0.07	39 of 90	-25%
58	Sun Peaks	V	1,546	0.07	45 of 105	-22%
59	Cumberland	V	4,974	0.07	48 of 105	-21%
60	Pitt Meadows	C	20,892	0.07	26 of 48	+6%
61	Belcarra	V	702	0.07	85 of 192	-38%
62	New Hazelton	D	666	0.07	86 of 192	-38%
63	Mackenzie	D	3,442	0.07	49 of 105	-19%
64	Dawson Creek	C	13,635	0.07	40 of 90	-21%
65	Vancouver	C	740,454	0.07	8 of 10	+38%
66	Courtenay	C	32,869	0.07	28 of 48	+12%
67	Clearwater	D	2,500	0.07	54 of 105	-16%
68	Squamish	D	28,578	0.07	29 of 48	+12%
69	Campbell River	C	38,300	0.07	30 of 48	+13%
70	Bowen Island	D	4,501	0.07	56 of 105	-15%
71	Invermere	D	4,305	0.07	57 of 105	-15%
72	Revelstoke	C	9,464	0.07	44 of 90	-15%
73	Parksville	C	15,371	0.08	32 of 48	+17%
74	Esquimalt	D	19,512	0.08	33 of 48	+17%
75	Whistler	D	15,090	0.08	34 of 48	+17%
76	Abbotsford	C	175,358	0.08	9 of 10	+45%
77	Cranbrook	C	22,703	0.08	35 of 48	+18%
78	West Vancouver	D	47,929	0.08	36 of 48	+19%
79	Penticton	C	39,068	0.08	37 of 48	+19%
80	Port Hardy	D	4,201	0.08	58 of 105	-11%
81	Kamloops	C	108,793	0.08	18 of 22	+18%
82	Valemount	V	1,082	0.08	97 of 192	-31%
83	Stewart	D	515	0.08	98 of 192	-31%
84	Armstrong	C	5,643	0.08	49 of 90	-12%
85	Nakusp	V	1,740	0.08	60 of 105	-9%
86	Montrose	V	1,072	0.08	102 of 192	-30%
87	Sooke	D	17,248	0.08	38 of 48	+22%
88	Telkwa	V	1,544	0.08	63 of 105	-8%
89	Comox	T	15,884	0.08	39 of 48	+24%
90	Qualicum Beach	T	9,640	0.08	50 of 90	-9%
91	Kelowna	C	167,654	0.08	10 of 10	+54%
92	Fernie	C	7,086	0.08	51 of 90	-8%
93	New Denver	V	527	0.08	108 of 192	-27%
94	West Kelowna	C	40,274	0.08	40 of 48	+28%
95	North Cowichan	D	34,525	0.08	41 of 48	+28%
96	Vernon	C	49,527	0.08	43 of 48	+31%
97	Harrison Hot Springs	V	2,148	0.09	67 of 105	-1%
98	McBride	V	646	0.09	115 of 192	-23%
99	Sicamous	D	2,854	0.09	68 of 105	+1%
100	Castlegar	C	9,465	0.09	59 of 90	-1%
101	Keremeos	V	1,779	0.09	71 of 105	+2%
102	Gold River	V	1,339	0.09	116 of 192	-22%
103	Smithers	T	5,627	0.09	61 of 90	+0%
104	Sechelt	D	11,558	0.09	64 of 90	+1%
105	Vanderhoof	D	4,545	0.09	73 of 105	+4%
106	Saanich	D	126,011	0.09	20 of 22	+38%
107	Terrace	C	13,648	0.09	65 of 90	+2%
108	Summerland	D	12,343	0.09	66 of 90	+3%
109	Ladysmith	T	9,926	0.09	67 of 90	+3%
110	Kaslo	V	1,141	0.09	118 of 192	-18%
111	View Royal	T	12,795	0.09	69 of 90	+5%
112	Powell River	C	14,947	0.09	70 of 90	+5%
113	Oak Bay	D	18,626	0.09	45 of 48	+44%
114	Granisle	V	357	0.09	120 of 192	-17%
115	Warfield	V	1,729	0.09	74 of 105	+9%
116	Coldstream	D	11,380	0.10	73 of 90	+9%
117	Anmore	V	2,508	0.10	76 of 105	+12%
118	Midway	V	671	0.10	123 of 192	-14%
119	Rossland	C	4,355	0.10	78 of 105	+15%
120	Lake Country	D	17,637	0.10	46 of 48	+56%
121	Prince Rupert	C	12,903	0.10	76 of 90	+17%
122	Taylor	D	1,415	0.11	135 of 192	-6%
123	Hope	D	7,183	0.11	77 of 90	+20%
124	Logan Lake	D	2,337	0.11	81 of 105	+24%
125	Duncan	C	5,745	0.11	78 of 90	+22%
126	Victoria	C	103,888	0.11	21 of 22	+65%
127	Metchosin	D	5,207	0.11	79 of 90	+23%
128	Burns Lake	V	2,007	0.11	83 of 105	+26%
129	Sayward	V	329	0.11	141 of 192	-0%
130	Peachland	D	6,302	0.11	80 of 90	+27%
131	Lillooet	D	2,065	0.11	86 of 105	+32%
132	Osoyoos	T	5,724	0.11	82 of 90	+30%
133	Cache Creek	V	1,053	0.11	144 of 192	+2%
134	Alert Bay	V	465	0.12	146 of 192	+5%
135	Gibsons	T	5,090	0.12	83 of 90	+35%
136	Slocan	V	488	0.12	147 of 192	+7%
137	Pemberton	V	3,620	0.13	92 of 105	+46%
138	Port Alberni	C	19,671	0.13	48 of 48	+95%
139	Port Alice	V	789	0.13	151 of 192	+16%
140	Port Edward	D	442	0.14	154 of 192	+21%
141	Silverton	V	196	0.14	158 of 192	+28%
142	Fruitvale	V	2,068	0.15	97 of 105	+69%
143	Tahsis	V	418	0.17	169 of 192	+54%
144	Fort St. James	D	1,542	0.17	99 of 105	+103%
145	Tofino	D	2,772	0.18	100 of 105	+105%
146	Oliver	T	5,262	0.18	88 of 90	+105%
147	Zeballos	V	136	0.22	174 of 192	+95%
148	Hudson's Hope	D	1,019	0.22	175 of 192	+96%
149	Canal Flats	V	889	0.25	177 of 192	+120%
150	Masset	V	914	0.28	181 of 192	+153%
151	Port Clements	V	352	0.37	184 of 192	+233%
152	Lions Bay	V	1,375	0.58	188 of 192	+422%
153	Lytton	V	228	0.61	189 of 192	+444%
154	Fraser Lake	V	942	0.71	190 of 192	+531%

Municipalities with Incomplete Data

The following 7 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
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