Vancouver's new council faces its first big test: the 2027 budget

Mayor Pete Fry's new council took office November 2 at an inauguration ceremony at The Orpheum Theatre, and within days the central question of its first term came into focus: how much will property taxes go up in 2027, and what will that money pay for.

The 2027 budget is historically approved by Vancouver City Council in December. The new council has weeks to work through competing demands from business groups, tenant advocates, housing providers and the city's own departments before that deadline.

"The opportunity to get a lot of things done is going to be predicated by how the budget goes," Fry told reporters after the ceremony, according to Business in Vancouver. He said the approach would need to be methodical and thoughtful.

Fry reviewing the numbers before committing

Fry has not named a figure for 2027. He told reporters he wants to see a detailed budget document before deciding, saying he first needs to find out "what's under the hood."

That position sits between two camps on council. Outgoing Mayor Ken Sim and ABC Vancouver had promised a second consecutive year of zero per cent property tax growth if re-elected. Business in Vancouver reported that scenario is unlikely under the new council, given concerns Fry, Councillor Sean Orr (COPE) and Councillor Lucy Maloney (OneCity Vancouver) raised during the previous term.

Before this election, the three told Business in Vancouver that they favoured a moderate tax increase to avoid cuts to jobs and services. A city staff report at that time included a survey of residents. Of the options presented, the most preferred was a five per cent increase that would maintain the current level of city services, Business in Vancouver reported.

Business associations, restaurant groups and the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade all supported a freeze, telling council that rising costs were making it harder for businesses to stay open.

The first real test: November 18

The first substantive council meeting is November 18. Councillor Lucy Maloney has five motions prepared for that session, she told Business in Vancouver.

The five cover: (1) affirming Vancouver's standing as an inclusive, compassionate and resilient city; (2) addressing risks from digital infrastructure; (3) working with Team Canada to build the city's economic resilience against tariff pressures; (4) strengthening safeguards against tax avoidance for owners of unbuilt housing sites; (5) reinstating a full-time seniors' lead planner position to support the city's response to the needs of older residents.

Maloney was first elected in a byelection in April 2025 and won again in October. She is OneCity Vancouver's only voice on the new council, which has five Green Party members, four from COPE and one from ABC Vancouver.

A coalition across parties

That lone ABC Vancouver member, Councillor Mike Klassen, is now in the minority on most votes. At The Orpheum on November 2 he said he was ready to share institutional knowledge with the newer members.

"I know that everybody here has probably had butterflies on the first day, but at the end of the day, I think this team will move forward strongly together," Klassen told reporters, according to Business in Vancouver.

Sean Orr told Business in Vancouver the coalition was not going to freeze Klassen out. "We're not going to shut Mike out of things. We're going to include Mike. He's very experienced. He knows what he knows, and we're going to work with Mike. We're not going to punish him," Orr said.

Fry described the challenge as managing competing interests over four years without expecting to deliver everything at once. "We've got four years and we don't need to get it all done in the first month," he told reporters.

Other priorities in the first months

Beyond the budget, the new council's shared platform covers several areas that will each require Council votes and staff resources. Fry wants to reverse the pause on net new supportive housing that the previous administration ordered, and to restore the renters' office. He told reporters he will also look for provincial and federal funding to increase daytime shelter options for people without housing.

The Green Party plans to bring forward a proposal for a 24-hour non-police, non-medical mobile response team called CROW, standing for Community Response Outreach Workers. CROW would handle non-emergency calls involving people experiencing homelessness, addiction or other situations, reducing demands on police and ambulance services.

The Greens also plan to propose an Office of Community Safety, which the party's platform described as a structure to bring together neighbourhood services including fire, police, licensing, property use and planning.

COPE wants to triple the empty homes tax and use the proceeds to fund affordable housing. The party would also have the city buy rental apartments and convert them into permanent public housing and co-operatives.

OneCity wants to allow backyard businesses, corner stores and pop-ups, and to create a micro-grant program to help small businesses start and grow.

What comes next

Fry campaigned on producing a more detailed budget document, a promise he made at the Board of Trade debate on October 2, so residents and businesses can see where money is going. That document is due before December. The November 18 council meeting, where Maloney's five motions will come forward, is the first point where the public can watch the new council vote.

Residents can watch council meetings live on the City of Vancouver's website or attend in person at Vancouver City Hall. You can follow how each councillor votes on these and other questions on the Pete Fry tracker and Lucy Maloney tracker on this site.