Pete Fry says 2027 budget comes first as new Vancouver council gets to work
Mayor Pete Fry says he wants to see the full budget document before deciding on a 2027 property tax increase, signalling the end of ABC Vancouver's zero-per-cent freeze.
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Mayor Pete Fry says he will not decide on a 2027 property tax level until he has read the full budget document, which city council is expected to approve before the end of December. Vancouver Is Awesome reported the comments November 5, citing a scrum with reporters after the November 2 inauguration at The Orpheum Theatre.
"The opportunity to get a lot of things done is going to be predicated by how the budget goes," Fry said, according to Vancouver Is Awesome. "So we need to be kind of methodical and thoughtful about how we approach it."
The ABC Vancouver promise is off the table
During the 2026 election, outgoing mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver promised a second consecutive year of zero per cent property tax growth for 2027. Vancouver Is Awesome reports that scenario is unlikely under the new council, where the Green Party, COPE and OneCity hold a majority, with Mike Klassen as ABC's lone councillor.
Fry, Sean Orr (COPE) and Lucy Maloney (OneCity Vancouver) each said in the previous term that they favoured a moderate increase to avoid cuts to city jobs and services. A city staff report from that period included a resident survey. The most preferred option among respondents, according to Vancouver Is Awesome, was a five per cent property tax increase that keeps current service levels. Business improvement associations, the restaurant industry and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade all opposed any increase.
Council's early priorities
Maloney has five motions ready for the November 18 council meeting, the first of the new term. Vancouver Is Awesome reports they cover: Vancouver's role as an inclusive and resilient city; digital infrastructure risks; economic resilience against tariff pressures; safeguards against tax avoidance for unbuilt housing sites; and restoring a full-time seniors' lead planner position.
Fry said he wants to reverse the previous council's pause on new supportive housing and restore a renters' office, both common campaign commitments across his coalition. COPE's platform calls for tripling the empty homes tax, taxing non-resident investors and having the city purchase apartments to convert into permanently affordable public housing and co-operatives.
A new majority, one opposition voice
Klassen told reporters he was ready to share his experience with the new councillors. Orr said the council intends to include him. "We're not going to shut Mike out of things," Orr said, according to Vancouver Is Awesome.
Residents can follow the budget process and register to speak at public hearings at vancouver.ca. The November 18 council meeting is the first chance to watch the new majority act on its promises. Track each councillor's commitments at the council tracker.
Questions this story answers
What did Mayor Pete Fry say about the 2027 property tax?
Fry told reporters after the November 2 inauguration that he wants to see the full budget document before deciding on a tax level for 2027. He said, according to Vancouver Is Awesome: 'The opportunity to get a lot of things done is going to be predicated by how the budget goes.' He has not given a specific number.
Is ABC Vancouver's zero-per-cent tax promise still on the table?
Vancouver Is Awesome reports that a second consecutive zero-per-cent property tax increase for 2027 is unlikely under the new council. Fry, Orr and Maloney each said in the previous term that they favoured a moderate tax increase to avoid cuts to city jobs and services.
What increase did a city survey find residents preferred?
A city staff report from the previous term included a resident survey. The survey found, according to Vancouver Is Awesome, that the most preferred option was a property tax increase of five per cent that keeps the current level of city services. Business groups opposed any increase.
What is Councillor Lucy Maloney planning for the first council meeting?
Maloney (OneCity Vancouver) told reporters she has five motions prepared for the November 18 council meeting, covering Vancouver's role as an inclusive city, digital infrastructure risks, economic resilience linked to tariff pressures, safeguards against tax avoidance for unbuilt housing sites, and restoring a full-time seniors' lead planner position.
What did Councillor Mike Klassen (ABC Vancouver) say about working with the new majority?
Klassen said at the inauguration ceremony that he was 'still the same Mike Klassen who is always willing to have a good conversation about where the city needs to go,' and that he expected the team to 'move forward strongly together,' according to Vancouver Is Awesome.
What are COPE's housing priorities for this term?
According to Vancouver Is Awesome, COPE wants to triple the empty homes tax, tax non-resident investors to fund affordable housing, and have the city buy apartments to turn them into permanently affordable public housing and co-operatives.
What is the CROW program the mayor mentioned?
CROW stands for Community Response Outreach Workers. During the election campaign, Fry and the Greens promised to create a 24-hour, non-police, non-medical mobile response team to handle non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness, addiction or other vulnerabilities.
When will Vancouver council approve the 2027 budget?
The 2027 budget is historically approved by Vancouver City Council in December. Fry said he wants to review the budget document before making decisions on tax levels. Residents can follow the process and speak at public hearings at vancouver.ca.
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