Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

City Budget

Kamloops council to discuss budget changes that could knock 1.5% off 2025 tax increase

Mar 29, 2025 | 2:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council will come together in a Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting Tuesday (April 1) to discuss developments that could knock down the proposed property tax increase for 2025.

Once council considered all supplemental budget requests at its March 11 COTW meeting, the proposed tax increase for the average Kamloops property was just over 9 per cent.

However, staff now say council now has the opportunity to cut that number down to 7.42 per cent.

Staff say council could push certain aspects of the Build Kamloops program — including debt servicing costs for a potential loan to pay for a new RCMP detachment — forward to future years, reducing the tax burden this year.

The pending elimination of B.C.’s consumer carbon tax will also save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2025.

Question of the Week

Will the removal of the consumer carbon tax make a noticeable difference in your monthly expenses?

Mar 31, 2025

1000 Ways to Heal

1000 Ways to Heal: National Indigenous Languages Day

Mar 31, 2025

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Sometimes, we get it right

Mar 30, 2025

Staff also note the budget for hiring six additional Community Service Officers (CSO) could be cut in half, as it’s likely the hiring won’t happen until midway through the year.

Council would still need to finalize its budget at a regular meeting later in April.