BC Municipal Fiscal Trajectory Rankings

Composite score measuring 4-year fiscal direction across expenses, surplus, debt, tax collection, and stability.

153 municipalities ranked Higher is better

Highest — Best Performing

1. Lytton (Under 1,500) 78.3 2. Clinton (Under 1,500) 73.3 3. Ucluelet (1,500-5,000) 73.1 4. Trail (5,000-15,000) 72.7 5. Elkford (1,500-5,000) 71.9

Lowest — Needs Attention

149. Coldstream (5,000-15,000) 20.4 150. West Kelowna (15,000-50,000) 18.5 151. Powell River (5,000-15,000) 15.6 152. Zeballos (Under 1,500) 14.4 153. Port Alberni (15,000-50,000) 9.4

Distribution

Top of Band

Mid-Band

Bottom of Band

About this Metric

High value means

Fiscal trends are moving in the right direction — expenses are growing slower than revenue, debt is being managed, and collections are strong.

Low value means

One or more fiscal indicators have been trending unfavourably over the past 4 years, suggesting structural challenges that may need attention.

For Councillors

The trajectory score aggregates four years of directional change. A declining score warrants a strategic review: are expenses outpacing revenue? Is debt capacity eroding? Are tax collection rates slipping? The composite nature means one strong trend can offset another — so examine the components, not just the headline number.

For Residents

This score tells you whether your municipality's finances are heading in the right direction. A high score means things are generally improving year over year. A low score doesn't mean crisis, but it does mean the trend lines deserve scrutiny — especially if taxes are rising at the same time.

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	Lytton	V	228	78.3	5 of 191	+57%
2	Clinton	V	707	73.3	12 of 191	+47%
3	Ucluelet	D	2,452	73.1	9 of 105	+46%
4	Trail	C	8,539	72.7	10 of 90	+45%
5	Elkford	D	3,030	71.9	10 of 105	+44%
6	Tumbler Ridge	D	2,663	71.4	11 of 105	+43%
7	Enderby	C	3,292	70.2	12 of 105	+40%
8	Grand Forks	C	4,308	69.9	15 of 105	+40%
9	Surrey	C	703,531	69.5	2 of 10	+39%
10	Merritt	C	7,190	68.4	14 of 90	+37%
11	Kent	D	7,093	68.1	15 of 90	+36%
12	White Rock	C	25,057	68.1	10 of 48	+36%
13	Kimberley	C	9,037	67.4	16 of 90	+35%
14	Lake Cowichan	T	3,757	67.4	22 of 105	+35%
15	Princeton	T	3,050	67.4	23 of 105	+35%
16	Langley	C	35,444	66.5	12 of 48	+33%
17	Pouce Coupe	V	813	66.3	29 of 191	+33%
18	Fraser Lake	V	942	66.2	30 of 191	+32%
19	Salmon Arm	C	20,891	66.1	13 of 48	+32%
20	Terrace	C	13,648	65.1	20 of 90	+30%
21	Colwood	C	22,794	64.5	15 of 48	+29%
22	Slocan	V	488	63.5	39 of 191	+27%
23	Salmo	V	1,310	62.7	41 of 191	+25%
24	Spallumcheen	D	5,843	62.7	22 of 90	+25%
25	Revelstoke	C	9,464	61.7	24 of 90	+23%
26	Port Moody	C	38,285	61.3	18 of 48	+23%
27	Richmond	C	239,584	60.6	4 of 10	+21%
28	Central Saanich	D	18,184	60.3	19 of 48	+21%
29	Fort St. John	C	24,383	60.2	20 of 48	+20%
30	Delta	C	124,670	59.3	6 of 22	+19%
31	Williams Lake	C	11,462	59.0	29 of 90	+18%
32	Lumby	V	2,257	58.3	33 of 105	+17%
33	Highlands	D	2,753	58.1	34 of 105	+16%
34	Stewart	D	515	58.1	53 of 191	+16%
35	Ladysmith	T	9,926	58.0	33 of 90	+16%
36	Port Clements	V	352	57.9	58 of 191	+16%
37	Chase	V	2,591	57.8	36 of 105	+16%
38	Lantzville	D	4,276	57.7	37 of 105	+15%
39	Squamish	D	28,578	56.7	22 of 48	+13%
40	Houston	D	3,114	56.6	39 of 105	+13%
41	New Westminster	C	92,124	55.0	7 of 22	+10%
42	Sparwood	D	4,486	54.9	44 of 105	+10%
43	View Royal	T	12,795	54.0	40 of 90	+8%
44	Nanaimo	C	111,845	53.8	9 of 22	+8%
45	Radium Hot Springs	V	1,489	53.7	77 of 191	+7%
46	West Vancouver	D	47,929	53.4	24 of 48	+7%
47	Belcarra	V	702	53.0	81 of 191	+6%
48	Valemount	V	1,082	53.0	80 of 191	+6%
49	North Vancouver	D	97,845	52.9	10 of 22	+6%
50	Logan Lake	D	2,337	52.7	45 of 105	+5%
51	Dawson Creek	C	13,635	52.1	43 of 90	+4%
52	North Vancouver	C	66,624	51.9	11 of 22	+4%
53	Burnaby	C	299,682	51.7	5 of 10	+3%
54	Chetwynd	D	2,484	51.5	49 of 105	+3%
55	Sidney	T	13,445	51.5	45 of 90	+3%
56	Pitt Meadows	C	20,892	50.4	26 of 48	+1%
57	100 Mile House	D	2,030	49.6	52 of 105	-1%
58	Nakusp	V	1,740	49.4	53 of 105	-1%
59	Creston	T	5,976	47.7	53 of 90	-5%
60	Sicamous	D	2,854	46.8	58 of 105	-6%
61	Smithers	T	5,627	46.5	55 of 90	-7%
62	Vancouver	C	740,454	46.1	6 of 10	-8%
63	Parksville	C	15,371	45.8	29 of 48	-8%
64	Coquitlam	C	173,599	45.6	7 of 10	-9%
65	Mackenzie	D	3,442	45.5	60 of 105	-9%
66	Golden	T	4,433	44.9	61 of 105	-10%
67	Campbell River	C	38,300	44.8	30 of 48	-10%
68	Nelson	C	12,126	44.7	58 of 90	-11%
69	Warfield	V	1,729	44.7	62 of 105	-11%
70	Gold River	V	1,339	44.4	120 of 191	-11%
71	Taylor	D	1,415	44.3	121 of 191	-11%
72	Burns Lake	V	2,007	44.2	63 of 105	-12%
73	Sun Peaks	V	1,546	43.7	66 of 105	-13%
74	Langford	C	59,664	43.1	13 of 22	-14%
75	North Saanich	D	12,986	42.9	63 of 90	-14%
76	Quesnel	C	10,253	42.9	62 of 90	-14%
77	Port Edward	D	442	42.2	130 of 191	-16%
78	Invermere	D	4,305	41.7	70 of 105	-17%
79	Maple Ridge	C	105,925	41.4	15 of 22	-17%
80	Chilliwack	C	105,520	40.5	16 of 22	-19%
81	Mission	C	47,280	40.3	31 of 48	-19%
82	Telkwa	V	1,544	40.3	73 of 105	-19%
83	Clearwater	D	2,500	40.0	74 of 105	-20%
84	New Hazelton	D	666	40.0	138 of 191	-20%
85	Alert Bay	V	465	39.9	139 of 191	-20%
86	Cumberland	V	4,974	39.7	76 of 105	-21%
87	Ashcroft	V	1,744	39.6	77 of 105	-21%
88	Midway	V	671	39.4	140 of 191	-21%
89	Cache Creek	V	1,053	39.2	141 of 191	-22%
90	Fernie	C	7,086	39.2	65 of 90	-22%
91	Sayward	V	329	39.1	142 of 191	-22%
92	New Denver	V	527	38.8	143 of 191	-22%
93	Lions Bay	V	1,375	38.6	145 of 191	-23%
94	Masset	V	914	38.6	144 of 191	-23%
95	Rossland	C	4,355	38.2	79 of 105	-24%
96	Port McNeill	T	2,402	36.9	81 of 105	-26%
97	Penticton	C	39,068	36.8	33 of 48	-26%
98	Courtenay	C	32,869	36.1	34 of 48	-28%
99	Oak Bay	D	18,626	35.9	35 of 48	-28%
100	Kaslo	V	1,141	35.8	157 of 191	-28%
101	Esquimalt	D	19,512	35.7	36 of 48	-29%
102	Vanderhoof	D	4,545	35.7	85 of 105	-29%
103	Cranbrook	C	22,703	35.3	37 of 48	-29%
104	Armstrong	C	5,643	35.2	67 of 90	-30%
105	Bowen Island	D	4,501	35.0	87 of 105	-30%
106	Metchosin	D	5,207	34.8	68 of 90	-30%
107	Montrose	V	1,072	34.7	162 of 191	-31%
108	Pemberton	V	3,620	34.7	88 of 105	-31%
109	Sooke	D	17,248	33.9	38 of 48	-32%
110	Keremeos	V	1,779	33.6	90 of 105	-33%
111	Prince George	C	85,944	33.6	17 of 22	-33%
112	Granisle	V	357	33.5	165 of 191	-33%
113	Kelowna	C	167,654	33.3	8 of 10	-33%
114	Harrison Hot Springs	V	2,148	32.7	91 of 105	-35%
115	Hudson's Hope	D	1,019	32.6	170 of 191	-35%
116	Osoyoos	T	5,724	32.0	69 of 90	-36%
117	Comox	T	15,884	31.9	39 of 48	-36%
118	Port Coquitlam	C	67,724	31.9	19 of 22	-36%
119	Qualicum Beach	T	9,640	31.6	71 of 90	-37%
120	Port Alice	V	789	31.5	171 of 191	-37%
121	North Cowichan	D	34,525	31.2	40 of 48	-38%
122	Langley	D	163,885	29.4	9 of 10	-41%
123	Anmore	V	2,508	29.2	93 of 105	-42%
124	Fort St. James	D	1,542	28.6	94 of 105	-43%
125	Kamloops	C	108,793	28.6	20 of 22	-43%
126	McBride	V	646	28.6	178 of 191	-43%
127	Tofino	D	2,772	28.3	95 of 105	-43%
128	Sechelt	D	11,558	27.9	77 of 90	-44%
129	Peachland	D	6,302	27.6	78 of 90	-45%
130	Summerland	D	12,343	27.6	79 of 90	-45%
131	Castlegar	C	9,465	27.1	80 of 90	-46%
132	Canal Flats	V	889	27.0	180 of 191	-46%
133	Whistler	D	15,090	27.0	41 of 48	-46%
134	Vernon	C	49,527	26.9	42 of 48	-46%
135	Lake Country	D	17,637	26.5	43 of 48	-47%
136	Silverton	V	196	26.5	182 of 191	-47%
137	Saanich	D	126,011	26.4	21 of 22	-47%
138	Fruitvale	V	2,068	26.3	97 of 105	-47%
139	Hope	D	7,183	26.1	82 of 90	-48%
140	Tahsis	V	418	25.4	184 of 191	-49%
141	Port Hardy	D	4,201	25.2	98 of 105	-50%
142	Prince Rupert	C	12,903	25.0	83 of 90	-50%
143	Victoria	C	103,888	25.0	22 of 22	-50%
144	Abbotsford	C	175,358	23.9	10 of 10	-52%
145	Lillooet	D	2,065	23.7	99 of 105	-53%
146	Duncan	C	5,745	23.0	84 of 90	-54%
147	Gibsons	T	5,090	22.8	85 of 90	-54%
148	Oliver	T	5,262	21.5	86 of 90	-57%
149	Coldstream	D	11,380	20.4	88 of 90	-59%
150	West Kelowna	C	40,274	18.5	45 of 48	-63%
151	Powell River	C	14,947	15.6	90 of 90	-69%
152	Zeballos	V	136	14.4	191 of 191	-71%
153	Port Alberni	C	19,671	9.4	48 of 48	-81%

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