2018 Budget and five-year financial plan

2018 Budget priorities

We consulted with residents and businesses and heard back about your most important issues and preferences for City spending.

That input was used to identify the following priorities:

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  Address housing supply, affordability, and critical social issues

  Significant investments are being made in city-wide community planning to respond to the needs of a growing city, including:

  • Helping to bring more affordable housing to market sooner
  • Providing more security and stability for renters
  • Delivering more housing and services for homeless people including a partnership for more modular housing units.

  The Empty Homes Tax program and new regulations for short-term rentals will both help free up more rental units. Improvements to City operations, including additional staffing in the building permits and business licence areas, will help reduce wait times.

  The effects of the ongoing opioid crisis and other social issues continue to put stress on our systems, our service delivery and our staff. We continue to work with health authorities and other levels of government to manage the impacts of the opioid crisis, while also exploring how we can better support those struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

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  Improve service and maintain and upgrade streets, utilities, and facilities

  We continue to balance the need for upgrades to improve transportation and safety - such as those to major roads, public buildings including firehalls, and utilities such as water and sewer - with residents’ desire for improvements to amenities in their communities.

  More snow response equipment is being added to our fleet so that we can better respond to future severe weather events.

  We are also making needed investments to ensure City facilities and parks are safe and secure. 

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  Continue to build vibrant communities

  New and upgraded community centres as well as more parks and open spaces, street activations, a new seniors centre, a new pool, Central Library renovations, and increased grants for arts and culture will also enhance the communities where we live.

  Planned increases to the number of childcare facilities will also help more parents balance work and family commitments.

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  Increase investments in public safety  

  Vancouver is a safe city and to keep it that way we are adding resources to maintain and improve public safety, including more police officers, along with maintaining and adding more modern firefighting equipment