FAQs
What is a city budget?
Each year, the City of Victoria sets funding priorities through its annual budget. Council sets service levels and allocates funding for City programs, services, projects and initiatives.
Public input on investment priorities helps inform Council budget decisions.
Where does the City get its revenue from?
Similar to most Canadian municipalities, property taxes are the largest source of revenue (56 per cent for the City of Victoria in 2025) funding most services provided by the City, followed by utility user fees from water, sewer, solid waste and stormwater programs and revenue from parking.
The City gets some additional revenue from the Victoria Conference Centre, development services and property leases.
What does the City's operating budget include?
The City's operating budget includes daily or regular expenses to keep things running smoothly. In your household, these would be things such as gas for your vehicle or groceries for your family. For the City, this includes garbage collection, clean water and the maintenance of facilities and community centres, to name a few.
What does the City's capital budget include?
The City's capital budget includes one-time purchases or upgrades to invest in the future. For you, that’s things like renovations for your home or new appliances. For the City, capital expenses include things like road improvements, park upgrades or new equipment to maintain roads or respond to emergencies.
What are the City's reserves?
The City’s reserve funds are set up to save up money for future investment with the intent of smoothing out the impact on taxpayers, especially in years where larger than typical investments are needed. The City’s Reserve Fund Bylaw outlines the purposes and uses for each reserve.