Let’s talk about these relentless tax hikes in North Cowichan and Duncan.
Both municipalities are gearing up for 2025 budgets, and the numbers being tossed around are unreal: North Cowichan is debating a potential 15 to 20 percent tax increase, while Duncan’s got an 11.3 percent hike in the pipeline. And let’s not sugarcoat this, we’re normalizing massive tax hikes under the guise of necessity. It’s time to pump the brakes.
CAO Ted Swabey of North Cowichan has painted a grim picture, calling this year “pivotal” and “dire.” Sure, they’ve got $2 billion in aging assets and infrastructure to manage, and staffing shortages are compounding issues. But here’s the kicker: we’re being asked to swallow an 8.4 percent “status-quo” hike, just to maintain current services. Anything less than that, Swabey warns, means cuts. Oh, and if departments want anything extra? Tack on another 10 percent.
Across the way in Duncan, they’ve got their own problems. Their 11.3 percent hike is largely due to escalating policing costs after their population crossed the 5,000 mark. Congratulations on the census milestone, I guess? Now cough up more for policing, plus a chunk for that shiny new North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment building.
It’s a crisis, we’re told. But if everything’s a crisis, shouldn’t every cost and decision be scrutinized through what I’ll call an “economic lens”? That’s the same kind of lens both councils touted for climate-focused decision-making. You can’t cherry-pick where the scrutiny goes.
Look, inflation is a real issue. North Cowichan’s 4.26 percent “inflationary pressures” excuse for operational costs is a safe card to play. But inflation doesn’t mean you get a blank check to raise taxes indefinitely. Regular folks are navigating the same inflation—on groceries, housing, and fuel—without a council to vote through a household income boost. Why can’t municipalities show the same restraint?
Swabey himself admits North Cowichan kept taxes artificially low during the pandemic, with just a 1.4 percent hike in 2020. That’s commendable, sure, but now it’s being framed as a mistake because it left them with a “backlog” of asset management needs. How is that our fault? Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay extra now because of council’s past under-planning.
Cuts will happen if increases don’t. But that’s the uncomfortable conversation councils keep dodging. Are all current services truly essential? When every department feels entitled to budget increases year after year, it’s no wonder we end up here. At what point do we pause and reassess, what’s just nice to have?
And it’s not just a North Cowichan problem. Duncan is bracing for an eventual download of 911 dispatch costs, with municipalities expected to foot the entire bill by 2025. Mayor Michelle Staples assures us they’ll “work with residents” to navigate this. Translation: “Prepare to pay more.”
How about a radical idea? Instead of squeezing more out of residents, start working for them by trimming the fat. There’s no sacred cow in municipal budgets that can’t be put under the microscope.
Duncan’s proposed 11.3 percent increase translates to $214 more per year for the average homeowner. North Cowichan’s hike would likely be even steeper if they shoot for Swabey’s 15 to 20 percent target. This might not sound like much to council members with steady paychecks, but for families already stretched thin, it’s one more financial burden.
When councils normalize these massive hikes, they’re essentially treating taxpayers like ATMs. Here’s the thing about ATMs: they stop dispensing cash when the account runs dry.
North Cowichan and Duncan love their “climate lens,” a decision-making framework designed to evaluate environmental impact. Fair enough. But if we’re in such a dire financial crisis, shouldn’t there be an equally rigorous “economic lens”? Every expense and proposal should be scrutinized with the question: “Is this the most cost-effective way to deliver value to taxpayers?” If you can justify every dollar, people might be more willing to accept increases. Until then, don’t expect residents to keep shouldering the load without a fight.
