BC Municipal Liability Capacity Trend Rankings

Average annual change in liability servicing capacity used from 2021 to 2024.

153 municipalities ranked Lower is better

Lowest — Best Performing

1. Whistler (15,000-50,000) -14.6% 2. Enderby (1,500-5,000) -12.1% 3. Nelson (5,000-15,000) -9.2% 4. Duncan (5,000-15,000) -8.1% 5. Prince Rupert (5,000-15,000) -5.6%

Highest — Needs Attention

149. Peachland (5,000-15,000) 5.9% 150. Princeton (1,500-5,000) 7.7% 151. Burns Lake (1,500-5,000) 8.1% 152. Slocan (Under 1,500) 17.2% 153. Golden (1,500-5,000) 20.2%

Distribution

Top of Band

Mid-Band

Bottom of Band

About this Metric

Low value means

Capacity is being freed up — more room for future capital projects.

High value means

More capacity is being consumed — less room for future borrowing.

For Councillors

Freeing borrowing capacity preserves flexibility for major infrastructure investments.

For Residents

Available borrowing room means the municipality can finance needed projects without emergency measures.

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	Whistler	D	15,090	-14.6%	1 of 48	+1251%
2	Enderby	C	3,292	-12.1%	2 of 105	+1282%
3	Nelson	C	12,126	-9.2%	2 of 90	+604%
4	Duncan	C	5,745	-8.1%	3 of 90	+525%
5	Prince Rupert	C	12,903	-5.6%	7 of 90	+333%
6	Vancouver	C	740,454	-5.4%	1 of 10	+672%
7	Dawson Creek	C	13,635	-5.2%	9 of 90	+299%
8	Masset	V	914	-5.1%	9 of 190	+43%
9	Kimberley	C	9,037	-4.0%	13 of 90	+211%
10	Lake Cowichan	T	3,757	-3.9%	9 of 105	+343%
11	Sun Peaks	V	1,546	-3.6%	12 of 105	+305%
12	Pemberton	V	3,620	-3.2%	16 of 105	+263%
13	Sooke	D	17,248	-3.2%	8 of 48	+193%
14	Kaslo	V	1,141	-3.1%	18 of 190	-12%
15	Lions Bay	V	1,375	-3.1%	19 of 190	-12%
16	Salmo	V	1,310	-3.1%	20 of 190	-13%
17	Sicamous	D	2,854	-3.0%	17 of 105	+247%
18	Canal Flats	V	889	-2.8%	22 of 190	-22%
19	Cranbrook	C	22,703	-2.8%	10 of 48	+159%
20	Smithers	T	5,627	-2.6%	21 of 90	+100%
21	Castlegar	C	9,465	-2.6%	22 of 90	+99%
22	Vanderhoof	D	4,545	-2.5%	20 of 105	+188%
23	Invermere	D	4,305	-2.5%	22 of 105	+182%
24	Sechelt	D	11,558	-2.4%	24 of 90	+87%
25	Prince George	C	85,944	-2.4%	5 of 22	+115%
26	Cumberland	V	4,974	-2.4%	26 of 105	+168%
27	Belcarra	V	702	-2.3%	28 of 190	-35%
28	Radium Hot Springs	V	1,489	-2.2%	30 of 190	-38%
29	Lytton	V	228	-2.1%	31 of 190	-40%
30	Logan Lake	D	2,337	-2.1%	29 of 105	+141%
31	Creston	T	5,976	-1.9%	29 of 90	+49%
32	Rossland	C	4,355	-1.9%	33 of 105	+113%
33	Williams Lake	C	11,462	-1.9%	30 of 90	+44%
34	Elkford	D	3,030	-1.8%	36 of 105	+103%
35	Kamloops	C	108,793	-1.8%	6 of 22	+57%
36	Osoyoos	T	5,724	-1.7%	33 of 90	+31%
37	Colwood	C	22,794	-1.6%	15 of 48	+51%
38	Granisle	V	357	-1.6%	34 of 190	-55%
39	Squamish	D	28,578	-1.6%	16 of 48	+44%
40	Salmon Arm	C	20,891	-1.5%	17 of 48	+41%
41	Kelowna	C	167,654	-1.5%	2 of 10	+111%
42	Highlands	D	2,753	-1.4%	40 of 105	+57%
43	Warfield	V	1,729	-1.4%	41 of 105	+54%
44	Port Alice	V	789	-1.3%	39 of 190	-63%
45	Stewart	D	515	-1.3%	41 of 190	-65%
46	Fernie	C	7,086	-1.2%	43 of 90	-9%
47	Nakusp	V	1,740	-1.2%	43 of 105	+36%
48	Alert Bay	V	465	-1.1%	43 of 190	-68%
49	Summerland	D	12,343	-1.1%	44 of 90	-16%
50	White Rock	C	25,057	-1.0%	19 of 48	-7%
51	Fruitvale	V	2,068	-1.0%	48 of 105	+13%
52	Parksville	C	15,371	-1.0%	20 of 48	-9%
53	View Royal	T	12,795	-1.0%	45 of 90	-25%
54	Sidney	T	13,445	-0.9%	46 of 90	-32%
55	Nanaimo	C	111,845	-0.9%	8 of 22	-22%
56	Harrison Hot Springs	V	2,148	-0.9%	49 of 105	-2%
57	Powell River	C	14,947	-0.9%	47 of 90	-34%
58	Clearwater	D	2,500	-0.8%	50 of 105	-8%
59	Lumby	V	2,257	-0.8%	51 of 105	-9%
60	Oak Bay	D	18,626	-0.8%	23 of 48	-30%
61	Lillooet	D	2,065	-0.7%	53 of 105	-17%
62	Abbotsford	C	175,358	-0.7%	4 of 10	-3%
63	Campbell River	C	38,300	-0.7%	25 of 48	-39%
64	West Vancouver	D	47,929	-0.7%	26 of 48	-40%
65	Houston	D	3,114	-0.6%	54 of 105	-27%
66	Sayward	V	329	-0.6%	59 of 190	-83%
67	Tumbler Ridge	D	2,663	-0.6%	55 of 105	-32%
68	Lantzville	D	4,276	-0.6%	56 of 105	-33%
69	Vernon	C	49,527	-0.6%	27 of 48	-46%
70	New Denver	V	527	-0.6%	60 of 190	-84%
71	Victoria	C	103,888	-0.6%	9 of 22	-49%
72	Chase	V	2,591	-0.6%	57 of 105	-36%
73	Valemount	V	1,082	-0.5%	61 of 190	-85%
74	Grand Forks	C	4,308	-0.5%	59 of 105	-42%
75	Port Moody	C	38,285	-0.5%	28 of 48	-53%
76	Central Saanich	D	18,184	-0.5%	29 of 48	-55%
77	Terrace	C	13,648	-0.4%	57 of 90	-69%
78	Ladysmith	T	9,926	-0.4%	59 of 90	-72%
79	Keremeos	V	1,779	-0.4%	62 of 105	-59%
80	Kent	D	7,093	-0.3%	62 of 90	-80%
81	Fort St. James	D	1,542	-0.2%	65 of 105	-75%
82	Delta	C	124,670	-0.2%	10 of 22	-84%
83	North Vancouver	C	66,624	-0.2%	11 of 22	-84%
84	Port Edward	D	442	-0.2%	73 of 190	-95%
85	100 Mile House	D	2,030	-0.1%	69 of 105	-85%
86	Coquitlam	C	173,599	-0.1%	5 of 10	-86%
87	Gibsons	T	5,090	-0.1%	66 of 90	-92%
88	Courtenay	C	32,869	-0.1%	31 of 48	-92%
89	Chetwynd	D	2,484	-0.1%	70 of 105	-92%
90	Hudson's Hope	D	1,019	-0.1%	79 of 190	-98%
91	Ashcroft	V	1,744	0.0%	71 of 105	-100%
92	Burnaby	C	299,682	0.0%	6 of 10	-100%
93	Cache Creek	V	1,053	0.0%	81 of 190	-100%
94	Chilliwack	C	105,520	0.0%	12 of 22	-100%
95	Fraser Lake	V	942	0.0%	82 of 190	-100%
96	Gold River	V	1,339	0.0%	83 of 190	-100%
97	Metchosin	D	5,207	0.0%	68 of 90	-100%
98	New Hazelton	D	666	0.0%	84 of 190	-100%
99	Port Clements	V	352	0.0%	85 of 190	-100%
100	Pouce Coupe	V	813	0.0%	86 of 190	-100%
101	Silverton	V	196	0.0%	87 of 190	-100%
102	Tahsis	V	418	0.0%	88 of 190	-100%
103	Surrey	C	703,531	0.0%	7 of 10	-101%
104	Maple Ridge	C	105,925	0.0%	14 of 22	-104%
105	Mackenzie	D	3,442	0.1%	84 of 105	-106%
106	Trail	C	8,539	0.1%	72 of 90	-105%
107	Penticton	C	39,068	0.1%	33 of 48	-108%
108	Spallumcheen	D	5,843	0.1%	73 of 90	-107%
109	North Vancouver	D	97,845	0.1%	15 of 22	-109%
110	Midway	V	671	0.3%	175 of 190	-107%
111	North Saanich	D	12,986	0.3%	74 of 90	-120%
112	Langley	D	163,885	0.4%	9 of 10	-158%
113	Port Coquitlam	C	67,724	0.4%	18 of 22	-137%
114	Fort St. John	C	24,383	0.6%	34 of 48	-155%
115	Hope	D	7,183	0.6%	76 of 90	-148%
116	Zeballos	V	136	0.7%	177 of 190	-120%
117	Langford	C	59,664	0.7%	19 of 22	-165%
118	McBride	V	646	0.8%	178 of 190	-123%
119	Sparwood	D	4,486	0.8%	90 of 105	-196%
120	Richmond	C	239,584	0.9%	10 of 10	-223%
121	Oliver	T	5,262	0.9%	77 of 90	-168%
122	Montrose	V	1,072	0.9%	181 of 190	-126%
123	Saanich	D	126,011	1.0%	20 of 22	-193%
124	Mission	C	47,280	1.1%	38 of 48	-198%
125	Port McNeill	T	2,402	1.1%	92 of 105	-222%
126	Clinton	V	707	1.1%	184 of 190	-132%
127	Lake Country	D	17,637	1.3%	39 of 48	-219%
128	Coldstream	D	11,380	1.4%	78 of 90	-204%
129	Langley	C	35,444	1.4%	40 of 48	-226%
130	Merritt	C	7,190	1.4%	80 of 90	-204%
131	Taylor	D	1,415	1.4%	185 of 190	-139%
132	Port Alberni	C	19,671	1.7%	41 of 48	-256%
133	Port Hardy	D	4,201	1.8%	94 of 105	-308%
134	Telkwa	V	1,544	2.0%	96 of 105	-327%
135	Revelstoke	C	9,464	2.1%	81 of 90	-259%
136	Quesnel	C	10,253	2.1%	82 of 90	-262%
137	Ucluelet	D	2,452	2.2%	97 of 105	-349%
138	Esquimalt	D	19,512	2.2%	43 of 48	-305%
139	Comox	T	15,884	2.6%	44 of 48	-338%
140	Pitt Meadows	C	20,892	2.7%	45 of 48	-348%
141	West Kelowna	C	40,274	2.9%	46 of 48	-371%
142	North Cowichan	D	34,525	3.2%	48 of 48	-396%
143	Armstrong	C	5,643	3.4%	85 of 90	-359%
144	New Westminster	C	92,124	3.5%	22 of 22	-417%
145	Qualicum Beach	T	9,640	3.6%	87 of 90	-378%
146	Anmore	V	2,508	4.2%	99 of 105	-577%
147	Tofino	D	2,772	4.9%	100 of 105	-652%
148	Bowen Island	D	4,501	5.9%	102 of 105	-769%
149	Peachland	D	6,302	5.9%	89 of 90	-551%
150	Princeton	T	3,050	7.7%	103 of 105	-975%
151	Burns Lake	V	2,007	8.1%	104 of 105	-1020%
152	Slocan	V	488	17.2%	190 of 190	-580%
153	Golden	T	4,433	20.2%	105 of 105	-2396%

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