---
title: "How the Prince George city budget works | PG Pulse"
description: "How Prince George sets its budget and property tax increase, where the money goes, the Financial Plan and how to give input on the 2027 budget."
url: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/
markdown: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes.md
site: PG Pulse (https://princegeorgepulse.ca), The pulse of Prince George, British Columbia
generated: 2026-10-16T15:30:32.888Z
---

# How the City budget works

How Prince George sets its budget and property tax increase, where the money goes, the Financial Plan and how to give input on the 2027 budget.

Updated September 30, 2026

![A rainbow over the Prince George skyline](https://princegeorgepulse-media.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/prince-george/guides/rainbow-over-prince-george-skyline-8903e7-1280.webp)

Photo: Tim Wenzel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

## At a glance

- Council approved a 4.94% tax levy increase for 2026, about $144 a year for the average home.
- The budget is adopted as a five-year Financial Plan bylaw, with separate operating and capital plans.
- Council debates the budget at public budget meetings, usually starting at 1 p.m.
- Public input on the 2027 budget is open on the City’s Get Involved site.
- Audited results appear each year in the Annual Report and the Statement of Financial Information.

Every year, City Council has to balance what it costs to run Prince George against what residents pay in property tax and user fees. Here’s how that works and where to find the numbers.

## The short version

- **2026 tax levy increase: 4.94%**, about **$144 a year** for the average home, valued at $467,684.
- **About 70%** of your tax bill funds City services. The rest is collected for other agencies.
- **Water, sewer and garbage** are funded separately through the utility bill.
- The budget is adopted as a **five-year Financial Plan**, updated every year.

## Two budgets in one

| Budget | Operating budget | Capital budget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pays for | Day-to-day services: staff, policing contract, snow clearing, fuel, utilities, programs | Long-lived assets: roads, pipes, buildings, vehicles, facility renovations |
| Funded by | Property tax, user fees, grants | Reserves, borrowing, grants, and some tax and fee revenue |
| Examples | Fire Rescue, Bylaw Services, parks maintenance | Aquatic Centre upgrades, road rehabilitation, fleet replacement |

Large capital projects often span several years. Council can amend the capital plan mid-year, and the City lists every **capital plan amendment** on its finance page with links to the staff report and minutes.

## The yearly cycle

1. **Public input (late summer to fall).** The City runs a budget survey on its **Get Involved** site asking which services matter most. **For 2027, phase 1 runs September 1 to October 7, 2026; phase 2 opens November 27.**
2. **Staff prepare a draft.** Based on council’s strategic priorities, contracts, inflation and infrastructure needs, staff draft the **Financial Plan** and **Capital Plan**, with a **Budget and Finance Reference Guide**.
3. **Budget council meetings (winter).** Council works through the budget line by line at public meetings, usually starting at 1 p.m. It can add, cut or defer items. The 2026 budget was settled over two days of deliberations.
4. **Financial Plan bylaw.** Council adopts the five-year plan as a bylaw.
5. **Tax rates (spring).** Once BC Assessment values are final, council sets **tax rates** for each property class. Rates must be adopted before May 15 under provincial law.
6. **Tax notices** go out, and payment is due in early July (July 3 in 2026).
7. **Annual Report (June).** Audited financial statements and progress on priorities for the previous year.

![A Prince George street with a yellow fire hydrant at the curb, parked cars and low storefronts](https://princegeorgepulse-media.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/prince-george/photos/street-hydrant-af3876-1000.webp)

A Prince George street. [Photo: waferboard, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prince_George_street_(6366335021).jpg)

## Where your tax dollars go

The City’s tax insert lists the agencies that get a share of your bill. Besides the City itself, these are:

- the **Province of BC** (school taxes)
- **BC Assessment**
- the **Regional District of Fraser-Fort George**
- **regional 9-1-1** service
- the **Fraser-Fort George Regional Hospital District**
- the **Municipal Finance Authority**

The City sets only its own portion. The others set their own requisitions.

## Comparing with other cities

People often compare Prince George’s **tax rate** with other cities. The City points out that rates alone are misleading. A city with high home values can have a low rate and still collect the same dollars from a similar house. Compare **the actual tax on a typical home** instead. BC’s local government statistics publish this for every municipality.

## Key documents

| Document | What’s in it |
| --- | --- |
| **Financial Plan** (5-year) | Operating and capital budgets by service area |
| **Capital Plan** | Project-by-project capital spending |
| **Budget and Finance Reference Guide** | Background to help read the plan |
| **Tax rate table** | Rates for each property class, by year |
| **Annual Report** | Audited statements and results for the previous year (2025 report published June 2026) |
| **Statement of Financial Information (SOFI)** | Council pay, staff over $75,000, suppliers over $25,000, grants |
| **Sustainable Finance Policy** | Council’s rules for reserves, debt and long-term stability |
| **Strategic Plan (2023–2026)** and corporate work plan | Council’s priorities |

All are linked from the City’s finance page. There’s also an interactive **SOFI dashboard** on the open data portal.

## How to influence the budget

- **Take the budget survey** on Get Involved.
- **Write to council** by noon, six days before a budget meeting (see [how council works](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/how-council-works/)).
- **Request to appear as a delegation.**
- **Watch** budget meetings live or later.
- **Vote.** The next council, elected **October 17, 2026**, will set the 2027 budget. See [election 2026](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/election-2026/).

## For your own bill

For due dates, payment options, the home owner grant and utility rates, see [property taxes and utilities](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/city/property-taxes-and-utilities/).

Related: [city council](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-council/), [public notices and engagement](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/public-notices-and-engagement/). See key numbers on the [dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/).

## Common questions

**How much did Prince George property taxes go up in 2026?**

Council passed a 4.94% tax levy increase for 2026. The City estimated about $144 more per year for the average residential property, based on a representative home value of $467,684. Your change depends on your own assessment.

**How can I give input on the Prince George budget?**

The City runs a budget survey on getinvolved.princegeorge.ca each year. For the 2027 budget, phase 1 runs September 1 to October 7, 2026 and phase 2 opens November 27. You can also write to council or appear as a delegation, and budget meetings are open to the public.

**What does my property tax pay for?**

About 70% of a typical bill funds City services such as policing, fire rescue, roads, snow clearing and parks. The rest is collected for the Province (school tax), BC Assessment, the Regional District, regional 9-1-1, the regional hospital district and the Municipal Finance Authority.

**Why are water, sewer and garbage on a separate bill?**

They’re run as self-funded utilities. User fees on the utility bill cover their operating costs and pipe and equipment replacement, rather than property tax.

**Where can I see how the City spent money?**

The Annual Report contains audited financial statements. The Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) lists council pay and expenses, employees earning over $75,000, suppliers paid more than $25,000, and grants. There’s also an interactive SOFI dashboard on the open data portal.

## Sources

- [City of Prince George: Finance](https://www.princegeorge.ca/finance)
- [City of Prince George: 2026 budget passed with 4.94% increase](https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-hall/news-notices/2026-budget-passed-494-increase)
- [City of Prince George: Property Taxes](https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-services/utilities-taxes/property-taxes)
- [City of Prince George: 2026 Property Tax Insert (PDF)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-05/CoPG%202026%20Property%20Tax%20Insert.pdf)
- [City of Prince George: Get Involved](https://getinvolved.princegeorge.ca/)

## Official links

- [City finance page (budget documents)](https://www.princegeorge.ca/finance)
- [Have your say: 2027 budget](https://getinvolved.princegeorge.ca/Budget)
- [2026–2030 Financial Plan](https://pub-princegeorge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=36103)
- [2026–2030 Capital Plan](https://pub-princegeorge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=36147)
- [Annual report, strategic plan and corporate plan](https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-hall/annual-report-strategic-plan-corporate-plan)
- [Statement of Financial Information dashboard](https://data-cityofpg.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/statement-of-financial-information)

## On this page

- [The short version](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#the-short-version)
- [Two budgets in one](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#two-budgets-in-one)
- [The yearly cycle](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#the-yearly-cycle)
- [Where your tax dollars go](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#where-your-tax-dollars-go)
- [Comparing with other cities](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#comparing-with-other-cities)
- [Key documents](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#key-documents)
- [How to influence the budget](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#how-to-influence-the-budget)
- [For your own bill](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-budget-and-taxes/#for-your-own-bill)

## More in civic

- [Prince George election 2026: how, when and where to vote Prince George votes October 17, 2026: advance voting, the eight voting places and hours, ID to bring, and every mayor, council and trustee candidate.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/election-2026/)
- [Prince George City Council Who’s on Prince George City Council, how to contact the mayor and councillors, what council decides and the October 17, 2026 election.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/city-council/)
- [How council works and how to take part How Prince George council meetings run: agendas and videos, writing to council, delegations, speaking at a public hearing and joining a committee.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/how-council-works/)
- [Regional District of Fraser-Fort George What the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George does: landfills, recycling, 9-1-1, emergency alerts, rural building permits, parks and its board.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/regional-district/)
- [Your MLAs and MPs Who represents Prince George in Victoria and Ottawa, which ridings cover the city, the October 24, 2026 BC election and how to contact your rep.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/provincial-and-federal-representatives/)
- [Lheidli T’enneh First Nation and Indigenous governance Lheidli T’enneh, on whose territory Prince George is built: their government, land code, treaty history and ties to the City and Regional District.](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/civic/first-nations-governance/)

## Data

Machine-readable data behind this page, from the free PG Pulse API (https://princegeorgepulse.ca/developers/).

### Guide facts, FAQ and sources

Source: [PG Pulse guides (plain-language guides with links to official sources)](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/). Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Updated 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z.
JSON: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/api/v1/guides/civic/city-budget-and-taxes?fields=summary,faq,officialLinks,sources,updated

- **summary**: Council approved a 4.94% tax levy increase for 2026, about $144 a year for the average home., The budget is adopted as a five-year Financial Plan bylaw, with separate operating and capital plans., Council debates the budget at public budget meetings, usually starting at 1 p.m., Public input on the 2027 budget is open on the City’s Get Involved site., Audited results appear each year in the Annual Report and the Statement of Financial Information.
- **updated**: 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z

#### faq

| q | a |
| --- | --- |
| How much did Prince George property taxes go up in 2026? | Council passed a 4.94% tax levy increase for 2026. The City estimated about $144 more per year for the average residential property, based on a representative … |
| How can I give input on the Prince George budget? | The City runs a budget survey on getinvolved.princegeorge.ca each year. For the 2027 budget, phase 1 runs September 1 to October 7, 2026 and phase 2 opens Nove… |
| What does my property tax pay for? | About 70% of a typical bill funds City services such as policing, fire rescue, roads, snow clearing and parks. The rest is collected for the Province (school t… |
| Why are water, sewer and garbage on a separate bill? | They’re run as self-funded utilities. User fees on the utility bill cover their operating costs and pipe and equipment replacement, rather than property tax. |
| Where can I see how the City spent money? | The Annual Report contains audited financial statements. The Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) lists council pay and expenses, employees earning over $… |


#### officialLinks

| label | url |
| --- | --- |
| City finance page (budget documents) | https://www.princegeorge.ca/finance |
| Have your say: 2027 budget | https://getinvolved.princegeorge.ca/Budget |
| 2026–2030 Financial Plan | https://pub-princegeorge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=36103 |
| 2026–2030 Capital Plan | https://pub-princegeorge.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=36147 |
| Annual report, strategic plan and corporate plan | https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-hall/annual-report-strategic-plan-corporate-plan |
| Statement of Financial Information dashboard | https://data-cityofpg.opendata.arcgis.com/pages/statement-of-financial-information |


#### sources

| title | url |
| --- | --- |
| City of Prince George: Finance | https://www.princegeorge.ca/finance |
| City of Prince George: 2026 budget passed with 4.94% increase | https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-hall/news-notices/2026-budget-passed-494-increase |
| City of Prince George: Property Taxes | https://www.princegeorge.ca/city-services/utilities-taxes/property-taxes |
| City of Prince George: 2026 Property Tax Insert (PDF) | https://www.princegeorge.ca/sites/default/files/2026-05/CoPG%202026%20Property%20Tax%20Insert.pdf |
| City of Prince George: Get Involved | https://getinvolved.princegeorge.ca |

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