[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":316},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-list":3,"article-\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-2027-2030-november-2026":77,"article-people-\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-2027-2030-november-2026":295},[4,22,34,43,55,65],{"path":5,"title":6,"description":7,"date":8,"publishedAt":9,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":12,"image":17,"imageAlt":18,"imageCredit":19,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-2027-2030-november-2026","Coquitlam's 2027 budget heads into new council's first term with a 7% annual tax rise in the plan","City staff are forecasting a 7% increase in property taxes and utility fees each year from 2027 to 2030, as Coquitlam's new mayor and council prepare to set their first budget.","2026-11-06","2026-11-06T07:55:00-07:00","voche.me editors","Long read",[13,14,15,16],"budget","property taxes","City of Coquitlam","Coquitlam City Council","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.freshetnews.ca\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F11\u002F5amcgcr8n1y.jpg","City hall building exterior","Sasun Bughdaryan \u002F Unsplash via Freshet News",null,false,{"path":23,"title":24,"description":25,"date":26,"publishedAt":27,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":28,"image":32,"imageAlt":33,"imageCredit":15,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-new-mayor-council-inauguration-november-2026","Coquitlam swears in its first new mayor in 18 years on November 9","Craig Hodge and eight councillors take office Monday at the 2026 Inaugural Council Meeting, starting the 2026-2030 term.","2026-11-05","2026-11-05T07:26:33-07:00",[29,30,31],"Mayor","City Council","Craig Hodge","https:\u002F\u002Fcoquitlam.ca\u002FImageRepository\u002FDocument?documentID=20813","Coquitlam City Hall at Lafarge Lake",{"path":35,"title":36,"description":37,"date":38,"publishedAt":39,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":40,"image":41,"imageAlt":42,"imageCredit":15,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-2027-budget-survey-november-2026","Coquitlam asks residents how to balance its 2027 budget","The City of Coquitlam has opened an online survey until November 22 asking residents to weigh in on how to balance rising costs against service levels in the 2027 budget.","2026-11-04","2026-11-04T07:28:00-07:00",[13,15,16],"https:\u002F\u002Fcoquitlam.ca\u002FImageRepository\u002FDocument?documentID=20812","Coquitlam City Hall",{"path":44,"title":45,"description":46,"date":38,"publishedAt":47,"author":10,"category":48,"tags":49,"image":52,"imageAlt":53,"imageCredit":54,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Ffraser-river-literary-festival-coquitlam-november-2026","Fraser River Literary Festival brings 32 authors to Coquitlam and New Westminster through November 8","Coquitlam Public Library and New Westminster Public Library have launched the first Fraser River Literary Festival, running November 1 to 8 with 24 events, 32 local authors, and two gala evenings. Most events are free.","2026-11-04T07:56:00-07:00","Community",[50,15,51],"community","library","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-coquitlam-2026\u002Fai\u002Ffraser-river-literary-festival-coquitlam-november-2026.webp","Illustration of a book display table in a sunny public library","Illustration made with AI for voche.me",{"path":56,"title":57,"description":58,"date":38,"publishedAt":59,"author":10,"category":48,"tags":60,"image":63,"imageAlt":64,"imageCredit":54,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Ftri-cities-overnight-shelter-coquitlam-november-2026","Overnight shelter opens in Coquitlam with 20 beds and a hot meal","An overnight shelter with 20 beds has opened at the former Riverview Hospital site in Coquitlam, operated by Progressive Housing Society and running nightly from 8 pm to 7 am through March 31.","2026-11-04T07:35:00-07:00",[61,15,62],"housing","homelessness","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-coquitlam-2026\u002Fai\u002Ftri-cities-overnight-shelter-coquitlam-november-2026.webp","Illustration of an overnight shelter with cots and a serving table",{"path":66,"title":67,"description":68,"date":69,"publishedAt":70,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":72,"image":74,"imageAlt":75,"imageCredit":76,"updated":20,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"pinned":21},"\u002Fnews\u002Frichard-stewart-farewell-coquitlam-council-2026-10-29","Outgoing Mayor Richard Stewart hands the gavel to Craig Hodge at Coquitlam's final council meeting","Stewart wrapped up 18 years in office at the last meeting of the term, warning his successors against zero-percent tax freezes and calling mental health a priority for the new council.","2026-10-29","2026-10-31T09:29:00-07:00","Election news",[29,16,73],"transition","https:\u002F\u002Fd30791g68t1h2.cloudfront.net\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F10\u002F29195514\u002F0utgoing.jpg","Outgoing Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart at his final council meeting","Tri-Cities Dispatch",{"id":78,"title":6,"aiMetadata":79,"author":10,"body":93,"candidates":229,"category":11,"date":8,"description":7,"extension":232,"faq":233,"image":17,"imageAlt":18,"imageCheckedAt":261,"imageCredit":19,"imageScene":20,"linkedin":262,"linkedinPostUrl":20,"meta":270,"metaDescription":272,"navigation":273,"path":5,"pinned":21,"primarySourceUrl":274,"publishedAt":9,"seo":275,"seoTitle":20,"sourceId":276,"sourceIsPaywalled":21,"sources":277,"stem":290,"storyType":291,"tags":292,"topicKey":293,"updated":20,"__hash__":294},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-2027-2030-november-2026.md",{"summary":80,"keyTopics":81,"semanticKeywords":87},"Coquitlam's 2027 budget process begins with a city staff forecast of 7% annual increases in property taxes and utility fees from 2027 to 2030. New council is sworn in November 9 and will set the budget in spring 2027. Mayor Craig Hodge and councillors promised to keep taxes low during the campaign.",[82,83,84,85,86],"Coquitlam 2027 budget","property tax increase","7% tax forecast","Craig Hodge mayor","Coquitlam City Council inauguration",[88,89,90,91,92],"Coquitlam property taxes 2027","municipal budget Coquitlam","tax increase Coquitlam 2027","LetsTalkCoquitlam budget survey","Coquitlam five-year financial plan",{"type":94,"value":95,"toc":220},"minimark",[96,100,109,114,117,120,123,126,130,133,136,139,143,146,149,152,170,177,181,184,187,190,194,204,213],[97,98,99],"p",{},"Coquitlam's new mayor and council will begin their first budget process facing a city staff forecast of a 7% annual increase in property taxes and utility fees for each year from 2027 to 2030, according to Freshet News, citing a City staff report published November 5, 2026.",[97,101,102,103,108],{},"The forecast lands as ",[104,105,107],"a",{"href":106},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fcraig-hodge","Mayor Craig Hodge"," and eight newly elected councillors prepare to be sworn in on November 9. The first agenda after the swearing-in is the 2027 budget.",[110,111,113],"h2",{"id":112},"what-the-forecast-says","What the forecast says",[97,115,116],{},"A City of Coquitlam staff report projects a 7% annual rise in property and utility taxes for each year between 2027 and 2030, Freshet News reported on November 5. That rate is more than double the 3.37% increase the previous council approved for 2026.",[97,118,119],{},"The 2026 increase added $137 to the average Coquitlam household bill, according to the City's own 2026 Budget Highlights document. The average household now pays $6,323 per year in combined property taxes and utility fees: $4,502 to the City of Coquitlam, $1,301 to the Province of BC for education, $400 to TransLink for regional transit, and $120 to Metro Vancouver Regional District and other regional bodies.",[97,121,122],{},"The 7% forecast is a staff planning figure in the multi-year financial plan. New council will vote on the actual 2027 budget in spring 2027, after reviewing staff recommendations, hearing from the public and setting its own priorities.",[97,124,125],{},"The City's total operating revenue in 2026 is $502 million, according to the Budget Highlights. Property taxes make up 46% of that, or $232 million. Utility fees for water, sewer, drainage and solid waste account for $96 million combined ($41 million water rates, $55 million sewer and drainage rates, $10 million solid waste). Fees and service charges bring in $65 million (13%), and grants and other sources add $99 million (20%). A further $23 million comes from reserve transfers.",[110,127,129],{"id":128},"where-the-money-goes-now","Where the money goes now",[97,131,132],{},"The City's Budget 2027 document breaks down how the average household's $4,502 City portion is spent. Water, sewer and drainage services take the largest share at $1,325. Police services cost each household $737 on average, fire and rescue $550, recreation and cultural services $490, capital construction $480, solid waste $379, parks $256, roads and transportation $238, and planning and development $47.",[97,134,135],{},"The City's $502 million operating budget is driven above all by labour. The 2026 Budget Highlights show labour costs at $175 million, or 35% of total operating expenditures. Transfers to reserves follow at $141 million (28%), insurance and other costs at $72 million (15%), and contracted services at $65 million (13%).",[97,137,138],{},"The RCMP contract alone added $3,050,000 to the 2026 budget, equal to 1.40 percentage points of the 3.37% tax increase that year.",[110,140,142],{"id":141},"what-the-new-council-is-walking-into","What the new council is walking into",[97,144,145],{},"The 2026-2030 Five Year Financial Plan, approved by the previous council on December 8, 2025, sets out $918 million in capital spending over five years. That includes $250 million for facilities, $194 million for parks, trails and sports fields, and $170 million for transportation. In 2026 alone, $378 million in capital spending is planned.",[97,147,148],{},"The City's total planned expenditures for 2026, including operating, capital and collections on behalf of other governments, come to $1,062 million, according to the Budget Highlights.",[97,150,151],{},"For 2027, because a new council has just been elected, the City has moved the financial plan adoption to spring instead of December, according to Freshet News. This gives the nine new members time to review the plan before they vote on it.",[97,153,154,155,159,160,164,165,169],{},"Councillor ",[104,156,158],{"href":157},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fmatt-djonlic","Matt Djonlic"," campaigned on a ",[104,161,163],{"href":162},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fmatt-djonlic#promise-taxes-below-metro-average","promise to keep property taxes below the Metro Vancouver average",", telling the Dispatch that managing property tax increases while still investing in services should be council's top priority next term. Mayor Hodge made a ",[104,166,168],{"href":167},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Fcandidates\u002Fcraig-hodge#promise-spending-under-control-low-taxes","promise to keep City spending under control and property taxes as low as possible",". The staff's 7% forecast is the starting point for a process those promises will be tested against.",[97,171,172,173,176],{},"The promise tracker at ",[104,174,175],{"href":175},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Ftracker"," will record each council vote on the budget as it moves through the Finance Standing Committee and the full council.",[110,178,180],{"id":179},"why-costs-are-going-up","Why costs are going up",[97,182,183],{},"The City's 2026 Budget Highlights point to several pressures that show no sign of easing: labour agreements, non-labour inflation, rising RCMP contract costs and infrastructure maintenance. The document describes a period of \"increasing economic uncertainty and external pressures\" and says the City faces \"growing regional charges and evolving provincial requirements.\"",[97,185,186],{},"Coquitlam is also growing. More residents mean more demand for roads, parks, water and sewer systems, transit connections and community facilities, all of which require both capital investment and ongoing operating spending.",[97,188,189],{},"The Finance Standing Committee meets November 12 at 10:00 am. Regular Council meets November 16. Those are the first meetings where budget questions can be raised publicly.",[110,191,193],{"id":192},"what-residents-can-do-now","What residents can do now",[97,195,196,197,203],{},"The City is asking for public input on the 2027 budget through an online survey open until November 22, 2026 at ",[104,198,202],{"href":199,"rel":200},"https:\u002F\u002Fletstalkcoquitlam.ca\u002Fbudget",[201],"nofollow","LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca\u002Fbudget",". The survey asks residents how to balance service levels against the taxes and fees they are willing to pay.",[97,205,206,207,212],{},"This is the main public input channel before council and staff build the 2027 budget. Comments submitted by November 22 go to council alongside staff analysis and the results of the City's annual Ipsos satisfaction survey. For more on the budget process, see the City's financial planning page at ",[104,208,211],{"href":209,"rel":210},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coquitlam.ca\u002F607\u002FFinancial-Plan",[201],"coquitlam.ca\u002FFinancialPlan",".",[97,214,215,216,212],{},"An earlier piece on voche.me covered the opening of the ",[104,217,219],{"href":218},"\u002Fbc\u002Fcoquitlam-2026\u002Fnews\u002Fcoquitlam-2027-budget-survey-november-2026","budget survey on November 4",{"title":221,"searchDepth":222,"depth":222,"links":223},"",2,[224,225,226,227,228],{"id":112,"depth":222,"text":113},{"id":128,"depth":222,"text":129},{"id":141,"depth":222,"text":142},{"id":179,"depth":222,"text":180},{"id":192,"depth":222,"text":193},[230,231],"craig-hodge","matt-djonlic","md",[234,237,240,243,246,249,252,255,258],{"question":235,"answer":236},"What is the 7% tax forecast for Coquitlam?","According to a City of Coquitlam staff report cited by Freshet News on November 5, 2026, city financial planners are projecting a 7% annual increase in property taxes and utility fees for each year from 2027 to 2030. This is a forecast in the multi-year financial plan. New council will vote on the actual 2027 budget in spring 2027.",{"question":238,"answer":239},"How much did Coquitlam property taxes and utility fees rise in 2026?","The City of Coquitlam's 2026 budget, approved by the previous council on December 8, 2025, included a 3.37% average increase in property and utility taxes. According to the City's 2026 Budget Highlights document, the financial impact for the average Coquitlam household was an increase of $137, bringing the total average bill to $6,323 per year: $4,502 to the City, $1,301 to the Province of BC, $400 to TransLink and $120 to regional agencies.",{"question":241,"answer":242},"What does the average Coquitlam household pay in property taxes and utility fees?","According to the City of Coquitlam's Budget 2027 document, the average Coquitlam household paid $6,323 in total property taxes and utility fees in 2026. Of that, $4,502 (71%) went to the City of Coquitlam for local services. The remaining 29% went to other agencies: $1,301 to the Province of BC, $400 to TransLink and $120 to regional bodies including Metro Vancouver Regional District and BC Assessment Authority.",{"question":244,"answer":245},"What does the City spend the municipal portion of property taxes on?","The City of Coquitlam's Budget 2027 document shows how the average household's $4,502 City portion is spent: $1,325 on water, sewer and drainage, $737 on police services, $550 on fire and rescue, $490 on recreation and cultural services, $480 on capital construction, $379 on solid waste, $256 on parks, $238 on roads and transportation, and $47 on planning and development services.",{"question":247,"answer":248},"What are the biggest costs in the City's operating budget?","According to the City of Coquitlam's 2026 Budget Highlights, the City's $502 million operating budget is split by type: labour at $175 million (35%), transfers to reserves at $141 million (28%), insurance and other costs at $72 million (15%) and contracted services at $65 million (13%). By service area, fiscal services account for $148 million (29%), utilities $112 million (22%), and both parks\u002Frecreation\u002Fculture and police protection at $59 million each (12%).",{"question":250,"answer":251},"When will new council vote on the 2027 budget?","New Coquitlam City Council is sworn in on November 9, 2026 at 7:00 pm. Because it is a transitional year with a newly elected council, the City has moved the five-year financial plan adoption to spring 2027 instead of December 2026, according to Freshet News. The Finance Standing Committee meets on November 12. A public survey on the budget is open until November 22, 2026 at LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca\u002Fbudget.",{"question":253,"answer":254},"What did Mayor Craig Hodge promise about property taxes during the election?","During the October 2026 election, Mayor Craig Hodge's platform, under Affordability, said he would keep City spending under control and work to keep property taxes as low as possible. He told the Tri-Cities Dispatch his focus was keeping property taxes affordable while protecting services. He made that commitment before the City's staff forecast of a 7% annual increase was published.",{"question":256,"answer":257},"What is the City's five-year capital plan?","According to the City of Coquitlam's 2026 Budget Highlights, the City plans to invest $918 million in capital infrastructure from 2026 to 2030. The largest allocations are $250 million for facilities, $194 million for parks, trails and sports fields, $170 million for transportation, $116 million for other assets and equipment, $70 million for drainage, $57 million for water and $34 million for sewer. In 2026 alone, $378 million in capital spending is planned.",{"question":259,"answer":260},"Why does the City expect costs to keep rising?","The City of Coquitlam's 2026 Budget Highlights document says the City faces higher costs for services, labour and goods, alongside growing regional charges and evolving provincial requirements. Labour costs alone account for 35% of operating expenditures. The RCMP contract added $3,050,000 (1.40 percentage points) to the 2026 property tax increase on its own. Infrastructure maintenance and population growth also add to the pressure each year.","2026-11-06T07:54:00-07:00",{"short":263,"long":264,"hashtags":265},"Coquitlam city staff are projecting a 7% annual rise in property taxes and utility fees from 2027 to 2030. New council meets November 9. The public survey is open until November 22.","Coquitlam's new mayor and council will face a city staff forecast of 7% annual increases in property taxes and utility fees when they begin their first budget process. The 2026 budget already rose 3.37%, adding $137 to the average household bill. City staff say labour, infrastructure and regional costs are all going up. The public survey closes November 22 at LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca\u002Fbudget.",[266,267,268,269],"Coquitlam","CoquitlamBC","MunicipalBudget","PropertyTax",{"sourceName":271},"voche.me","Coquitlam city staff are projecting a 7% annual rise in property taxes from 2027 to 2030. New council meets November 9. Survey closes November 22.",true,"https:\u002F\u002Ffreshetnews.ca\u002Fcoquitlam-calls-for-budget-input-as-7-tax-lift-looms",{"title":6,"description":7},"feature:2026-11-06",[278,280,283,286,288],{"label":279,"url":274},"Freshet News: Coquitlam calls for budget input as 7% tax lift looms (November 5, 2026)",{"label":281,"url":282},"City of Coquitlam: Budget 2027 Your Property Charges Explained (PDF)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coquitlam.ca\u002FDocumentCenter\u002FView\u002F20800\u002F2027_Budget_-Engagement_Handout_85x11in_v2",{"label":284,"url":285},"City of Coquitlam: 2026 Financial Plan Budget Highlights (PDF)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.coquitlam.ca\u002FDocumentCenter\u002FView\u002F17426\u002F2026-Budget-Highlights",{"label":287,"url":209},"City of Coquitlam: Financial Plan page",{"label":289,"url":199},"LetsTalkCoquitlam: Budget 2027 Survey (closes November 22)","news\u002Fcoquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-2027-2030-november-2026","feature",[13,14,15,16],"coquitlam-budget-tax-forecast-november-2026\u002Ffeature","P2vEcuVu7i0mEY5Wjvl8Verc_4fVHAXFYmGZN9cEZAs",[296,307],{"slug":230,"name":31,"office":29,"party":20,"portrait":297,"colour":306,"palette":20},{"src":298,"smallSrc":299,"width":300,"height":301,"alt":302,"credit":303,"sourceUrl":304,"position":305},"\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fcraig-hodge-640.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fcraig-hodge-320.webp",640,800,"Craig Hodge, from Elect Craig Hodge for Mayor of Coquitlam.","Elect Craig Hodge for Mayor of Coquitlam","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.craighodge.ca\u002Fachievements","50% 30%","blue",{"slug":231,"name":158,"office":308,"party":20,"portrait":309,"colour":315,"palette":20},"Councillor",{"src":310,"smallSrc":311,"width":300,"height":301,"alt":312,"credit":313,"sourceUrl":314,"position":305},"\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fmatt-djonlic-640.webp","\u002Fimages\u002Fcandidates\u002Fmatt-djonlic-320.webp","Matt Djonlic, from Re-Elect Matt Djonlic for Coquitlam City Council.","Re-Elect Matt Djonlic for Coquitlam City Council","https:\u002F\u002Fmattdjonlic.ca\u002F","teal",1793985022440]