Vancouver Budget Task Force makes recommendations to save city money

Vancouver’s Budget Task Force revealed its findings this week, making more than a dozen recommendations after a review of the city’s budget.

Reducing absenteeism, leveraging technology, and privatizing some assets are among the proposals being made to Vancouver city council, to help save some money.

“It’s very important that we don’t constantly keep dipping into the pockets of the taxpayer to fund what the city needs to pay for,” Brian Montague, an ABC Vancouver councillor who sat on the task force’s advisory panel, said Thursday.

“I think the report looks into some interesting ideas that we really need to dive into a little bit further.”

In total, the Mayor’s Budget Task Force made 17 recommendations in its report, which was made public Wednesday.

Mayor Ken Sim announced the task force in April 2023, saying it would identify inefficiencies and revenue opportunities. The Vancouver Park Board, Public Library, and Vancouver Police Department were not part of the review, which came after a 10.7 per cent property tax increase.

The report says the city is facing two urgent challenges: a $500-million annual infrastructure funding deficit, despite unsustainable property taxes, and a significant expansion to the city’s responsibilities.

The recommendations fall under three themes: refocusing the city’s role, financial efficiency, and maximizing Vancouver’s capital assets.

“It’s the revenue aspect of things that is the real win here, right. Being able to find ways to increase the city’s revenues by potentially tens of millions of dollars every year,” Montague explained.

Opposition councillor says recommendations ‘not new or earth-shattering ideas’

However, OneCity Vancouver councillor Christine Boyle is skeptical, saying the recommendations range from cliché and comical, to concerning.

Some of the proposals, she adds, are “not new or earth-shattering ideas.”

“The Mayor’s Budget Task Force is full of business buzz words, but ultimately, the city isn’t a business, we’re a local government, we’re a service provider,” she said.

“I’m concerned about the reiteration in the report that we should be looking to sell city assets. First of all, that’s an incredibly short-term solution to a systemic, long-term problem, and it often results in losses for the city.”

According to Boyle, the report also doesn’t define non-care assets.

Meanwhile, Montague says he’s a big supporter of things like public-private partnerships to generate revenue.

“I think there are cases where things like naming rights and philanthropy are appropriate — not necessarily all cases, but I think we have to look at that,” he said.

The task force is recommending councillors formally accept the report and establish an oversight committee to oversee and report on the implementation of its recommendations.

The report is set to go before city council on Tuesday.