Council approved 2025 Final Budget with modest 4.34 per cent increase

News Release 

Kelowna City Council has approved the City’s final 2025 budget at its regular meeting on Monday, April 28. The 4.34 per cent tax demand increase is one of the lowest in the province.

“Our low tax increase is no accident,” says Doug Gilchrist, City Manager. “We’re minimizing our reliance on property taxes by encouraging business units to generate revenues, build partnerships, and find savings. This allows our City to deliver four times the value for every tax dollar collected.”

Property taxes fund less than a quarter of the City’s $908 million budget, with the rest coming from user fees, utility service charges, developer contributions, grants, and reserves. For the average residential property tax bill in Kelowna, the 2025 tax demand increase will add an extra $8.98 per month—or $107.79 per year—to fund municipal services and projects valued at four times greater. 

“When only one in four dollars comes from taxes, you know we’re doing something right,” says Melanie Antunes, Financial Planning Manager. “Our reliance on taxes is kept at a minimum, by design, without sacrificing our ability to keep pace with growth and deliver what Council and citizens expect.”

Of the $204.3 million raised from property taxes, approximately:

• 52%  will support police, bylaw and fire services to improve public safety and reduce crime;
• 22% will support transportation to reduce traffic congestion and improve neighborhood corridors and transit;
• 21% will support healthy communities to build new recreation facilities, improve parks, and support a vibrant arts and culture sector; and
• 5% will support planning and other services. 

The City is also working with government partners and the developer community to build more affordable housing, including below-market rental housing, and deliver complex care beds and transitional housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Earlier this year, the City received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2024 Financial Plan, marking the 23rd consecutive year of recognition for its high principles of governmental budgeting. In 2025, the City is stepping up its efforts to track and report its service performance, which will strengthen the budgeting process and help the City maintain its award-winning streak.

“The quality and value of our services matters just as much as which services we deliver,” says Mike McGreer, Corporate Strategy and Performance Manager. “As we continue to improve our service-based budget, residents will see more detailed information about what they are buying with their tax dollars.”

For more information about the budget, visit kelowna.ca/budget .

Property owners can expect to receive their property tax bills by mail and email starting May 12. Owners have until July 2 to claim the provincial Home Owner Grant and pay taxes to avoid a 10 per cent penalty.

If you receive your City of Kelowna bills by mail, you might be affected by the potential Canada Post mail disruption next month. Sign up for eBilling to avoid mail delivery delays and late fees. Visit billing.kelowna.ca to create a Property Account, sign up for eBilling, and manage all your City of Kelowna bills in one convenient location.