City of Surrey proposes 2.8% general property tax increase, among lowest in region
2025-2029 General Operating and Capital Budgets are now available for the public to view
Surrey, BC – The City of Surrey’s 2025-2029 General Operating and Capital Budgets are now available for the public to view. The Budgets have been formulated based on direction from Mayor Brenda Locke and Surrey Council, reflecting City strategies, resource requirements to maintain service delivery and feedback on community priorities obtained during the City’s budget engagement process.
"In these challenging and uncertain economic times with U.S. tariffs looming, our Council has dedicated itself to preparing a budget that proposes a modest 2.8% general property tax increase— among the lowest in the entire region,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “This is less than half of our general property tax increase in last year’s Five-Year Financial Plan. Our Council has worked hard to ensure that we keep tax rates low while still addressing the essential needs of our growing community.”
“Last year, we reached a critical crossroads regarding our police service, with the looming threat of massive tax hikes to fund the Surrey Police Service,” Locke said. “Thanks to our unwavering commitment and diligent negotiations, we negotiated up to $250 million from the province—funding that Surrey’s previous Council had neither sought nor even considered. This support has helped alleviate the financial burden on our taxpayers. Our Council remains committed to making prudent financial decisions that prioritize the well-being of our residents while upholding our responsibility for sound fiscal management.”
The property tax increases proposed in the 2025 General Operating Budget are as follows:
- 2.8% General Property Tax increase (approximately $77 for the average assessed single-family home) to fund:
- General inflationary pressures
- Hiring of additional 20 Fire Services positions and 10 bylaw positions for 2025, as well as funding 25 police positions.
- City-wide operations
- 1% Roads and Traffic Levy (approximately $27 for the average assessed single-family home)
If the proposed increases are approved, the City’s portion of property taxes for the average assessed single family home in the City of Surrey would be $3,169, which would place Surrey in the bottom third of the region for property taxes collected for the respective average assessed home in Metro Vancouver.
“While we are being financially prudent, we are not compromising on the infrastructure our growing city needs,” noted Mayor Locke. “We are proposing an ambitious $701 million Capital Plan over the next five years, which is the largest financial commitment in the City’s history including funding for 36 projects—10 of which are new this year.”
Among other key initiatives, the City is moving forward with transformative projects ranging from a 10,000-seat Sports and Entertainment Arena and an Interactive Art Museum—both set to become cornerstones of Surrey’s emerging City Centre Entertainment District - to smaller investments including an Ash-Scattering Pier off the banks of the Fraser River.
The proposed Capital Plan also includes moving ahead with the new Newton Community Centre, as well as a significant $446 million investment in capital road works over five years to enhance the City’s transportation infrastructure.
A public meeting of the Finance Committee will be held April 14, 2025 at 1pm to consider the 2025 Budget.
The public can provide comments in person at the Finance Committee meeting or through written submissions (email clerks@surrey.ca or fill out an online form). The deadline for written comments is April 11, 2024.
The 2025 General Operating and Capital Program Budget reports can be found at the following links:
- Five-Year (2025-2029) Financial Plan – General Operating
- Five-Year (2025-2029) Financial Plan – Capital Program