Kamloops taxpayers facing provisional 10.76 per cent increase in 2026

“Many goods and services are still seeing the lingering effects of inflation, high interest and scarcity putting cost pressures on delivering projects and services.”

NEW – #Kamloops taxpayers are looking at provisional increase of 10.76 per cent – or $310 – to their tax bills in 2026.

The provisional budget will go before council for input and recommendations on cuts tomorrow (Nov. 18).

An in-person info session is scheduled for Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/pJRX0kY39k

— Victor Kaisar (@supermario_47) November 17, 2025

The largest year-over-year increase in taxes is in the Protective Services Department, which includes the RCMP, Kamloops Fire Rescue, Community Services Officers and emergency management.

Image Credit: City of Kamloops

“As the City has several large projects underway, we must plan for the amplification of these pressures through this budget process,” Rutsatz added.

“Revenues have continued to grow in community, culture, and building services and contribute positively to the overall budget. The City must continue to be diligent in our financial assumptions to ensure we have the nimbleness to react as those revenues fluctuate.”

Both the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) union contracts expire at the end of this year. While negotiations on a new contract are beginning, the impact to the bottom line is not yet known.

“As contract negotiations are difficult to predict, staff have analyzed current market trends and built in conservatism to ensure the budget will cover the wage adjustment,” Rutsatz said.

City staff are asking council for input on what should be left in the budget and what should be cut to try and reduce the tax increase.

An in-person information session will be held this Wednesday (Nov. 19), where people will be able to peruse the provisional 2026 budget and ask questions of staff and council.

It’s also the only in-person input session as the city is aiming to complete all public engagement by December “to promote more proactive planning and accountable spending.”

The city is required to develop a balanced budget and five-year financial plan each year. Provincial regulations stipulate the budget be finalized by the middle of May, with property taxes then typically due in early July.

Kamloops taxpayers were faced with a 7.42 per cent property tax increase in 2025 and a 9.55 per cent increase in 2024.

The city also approved utility rate increases for 2026, though not as high as initially projected. Water and solid waste rates will increase 10 per cent each while sewer rates will increase by three per cent.

According to the city, these utility increases will mean an extra $121 — or $10.08 a month — for the average residential property in 2026.

Supplemental Budget

Also going before Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting is the 2026 supplemental budget. There are two items – a plan to hire apprentices to lessen the labour shortage in the skilled trades and a new protective services training centre – on this year’s budget.

Staff say both those items won’t have an impact to property taxes in 2026, though if approved, it will impact the 2027 budget.

“As recognition of the many cost pressures on the 2026 budget, direction was given to reduce supplementals and not have any that affect 2026 taxation,” Rutsatz said. “For this meeting, the Committee of the Whole is not expected to decide on the direction of the supplemental budget items.”

“The Committee of the Whole will be asked to provide direction related to each supplemental budget item at the January 20, 2026 meeting.”

You can find the entire provisional City of Kamloops budget here.

by Victor Kaisar

Kamloops taxpayers facing provisional 10.76 per cent increase in 2026

Supplemental Budget

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