As the City of Prince George moves forward with its proposed 2025 operating budget, which includes a 6.55 per cent property tax increase, we have to talk about how the city engages its residents in the budget planning process.
While city administration has made efforts to involve the public, the current engagement model attracts only a tiny fraction of the population, and those who do participate are often either focused on specific interests or are highly knowledgeable about city finances. This leaves a significant portion of the population, particularly the average ratepayer, underrepresented in a process that affects everyone.
The proposed rate hike, as discussed at the Dec. 4 meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance and Audit, would mean an additional $178.49 in property taxes for the average homeowner in 2025.
This increase, following a 6.78 per cent hike in 2024, is part of a broader trend of rising taxes over the last few years. Property taxes went up by 18.32 per cent between 2021 and 2024. This hefty a financial impact on residents makes it crucial that the city take more meaningful steps to involve the public in budget decisions.
The issue with the current public engagement process is that it does not reach enough people or represent the full range of views of Prince George’s residents. According to city staff, more than 900 people participated in these most recent citizen budget and satisfaction surveys, but only 46 attended the in-person open house, with 168 engaging online.
These numbers are a stark reminder of how many residents are excluded from the conversation – by their choice, of course, but excluded nonetheless.
One of the main reasons for the lack of engagement is that the current model tends to attract a very specific group of people. The individuals who typically participate in these surveys or attend open houses are often those with a niche interest in certain aspects of city spending or policy wonks who enjoy diving deep into the numbers.
While their input is valuable, they do not represent the average Prince George ratepayer, who is more likely to be concerned with how budget decisions will impact their daily lives, whether it’s how much they’ll be paying in taxes, the quality of city services like snow removal or whether the infrastructure in their neighbourhoods is being properly maintained.
City staff seem to recognize that the current approach needs improvement, acknowledging that attendance at the budget open house was low and discussed potential changes to increase public participation in 2025. Ideas included holding events in more accessible locations instead of relying on a single venue.
There was also talk of combining budget discussions with more enjoyable community events, such as Winterfest or a Cougars game, which could help attract more people who might not typically engage with municipal budget discussions.
Public engagement in the budget process cannot be left to chance or occur only during the most convenient times. The city must actively seek out feedback from all corners of the community, particularly from underrepresented groups, such as those in lower socioeconomic brackets or those who might not have easy access to online platforms or public meetings. The goal should be to create an inclusive, ongoing conversation about the city’s financial priorities, not just a one-time consultation with a small and unrepresentative group.
It’s also important that city staff rethink the kinds of questions they’re asking people. The citizen satisfaction survey in 2024 showed that residents generally favoured maintaining the status quo on spending for most city departments, with a notable desire for more funding for infrastructure. While this feedback shows a level of sophistication and awareness from residents, it is important to recognize that the people who filled out the surveys might not represent the diversity of the city.
The city’s 2025 budget is already taking shape, with several key proposals on the table, including increased spending for snow control, road rehabilitation and the hiring of new staff to support critical city services.
The budget also includes one-time expenses for projects like the demolition of the training tower at Fire Hall No. 2 and the creation of a stormwater utility. These are important decisions that will affect the lives of all residents, but we cannot expect to make the best choices without broad public input.
Ultimately, the budget planning process is not just about numbers. It’s about the future of our city and the well-being of its residents.
If the City of Prince George wants to create a budget that balances the needs and desires of its citizens with the priorities of the local government, it must do more to engage the public. By making the budget process more inclusive and accessible, the city can ensure that more people have a voice in shaping our future.
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