Let's Talk Property Taxes

On the City of Parksville’s Facebook page, we’re sharing quick, easy-to-follow snapshots of how property taxes help fund the services we all rely on every day. It’s a simple way to see where your tax dollars go. Find all of those snapshots below!

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MORE THAN A BILL, PROPERTY TAXES HELP MAKE COMMUNITY LIFE POSSIBLE

From infrastructure and public spaces to programs and services, your tax dollars help fund the things residents count on every day.

TRANSFERS TO RESERVES EXPLAINED

  • 10% or $5.8 million of 2026 budget total expenditures was transfers to operating and capital reserves.
  • Of the total 5.8% property tax increase, 1.5% is directly transferred to capital reserves including 0.5% to general capital, 0.5% to protective services (fire and police), 0.3% to water capital, and 0.2% to sanitary sewer capital.
  • These recurring, cumulative reserve contributions have increased from Council’s approval in 2021of the first recurring transfer to General Capital of 0.5% of property taxes. 
  • Significantly improving financial sustainability of the City and facilitated planning/funding significant capital infrastructure renewal to meet the City’s asset management strategy and better able to respond to unexpected operating and capital expenditures.
  • In 2026, $8.1M of general capital expenditures are being funded from capital reserves.

EVENTS MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SPECIAL

Property taxes fund City-hosted events like the annual Canada Day celebrations and Cookies and Carols community event. City staff support hundreds of community-led annual events including larger bookings such as Parksville Beach Festival, Summer by the Sea Market, and events held at the Parksville Outdoor Theatre, Memorial Plaza, and Foster Park.

  • Did you know: 0.3% of the City’s annual budget (or 21 cents per week per person) is allocated to the service provided by one full-time coordinator.

TAXES SUPPORT SERVICES MAKING PARKSVILLE HOME

City facilities are used to provide many services to residents – such as City Hall, Jensen Centre, Parksville Outdoor Theatre, washroom facilities in parks, operations and fleet buildings, curling arena, Shelly Road Centre, and Parksville firehall. staff regularly maintain these buildings, provide janitorial services, minor repairs and renovations, and prepare long-term maintenance and replacement plans for City buildings, so they are available for staff and community use.

  • Did you know: 2.5% of the City’s annual budget or $1.84 per week per person is allocated to these services by 7 full-time facilities staff.

WHERE YOUR TAXES GO: COMMUNITY PLANNING AND BUILDING

Property taxes and development fees support services related to community planning and building inspections, land use planning, development review, subdivision approvals, zoning and land use regulation, and interpretation of new provincial housing legislation. Planning staff will lead the Official Community Plan review and update, a multi-year project included in the 2026-2030 financial plan. Staff also inspect new construction to ensure it complies with the BC Building Code and the City’s building bylaw. 

  • Did you know: services are delivered by 7 full-time staff and account for 1.6% of the City’s annual budget, or about $1.15 per week per person.

PARKS, TRAILS AND GREEN SPACES DON’T TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES

Property taxes support maintenance of 100 hectares of parks and public spaces and 20 kms of trails enjoyed by residents. Parksville Community Park and amenities (playground, walkway, gathering plaza, volleyball courts, labyrinth, outdoor theatre, sports fields and courts), Springwood Park (sports fields and courts) and places like Foster Park and Memorial Plaza. Parks staff manage irrigation infrastructure, City’s urban forest, habitat restoration, invasive plant removal, and plant thousands of flowers annually. 

  • Did you know: 5.2% of the City’s annual budget or $3.90 per week per person is allocated to these services by 14 full-time and 2 part-time staff.

FROM POTHOLES TO PAVEMENT, YOUR TAXES ARE AT WORK

Property taxes support repairs and maintenance (including snow removal and de-icing) of 100 kms of roads, 60 kms of sidewalks, 80 kms of storm drainage infrastructure, and other transportation-related services to keep Parksville moving. Our fleet of 53 vehicles (all departments) are maintained by City staff. Assets include roads/drainage infrastructure, dump trucks with plows and sanders, street sweeper, backhoe, vacuum truck, versatile mower loader tractor, fleet vehicles, and more. 

  • Did you know: 4.4% or $3.30 per person per week of this year’s budget is allocated to services provided by a roads and drainage team of 11.

YOUR PROPERTY TAXES HAVE MANY JOBS

Taxes help support the everyday services that keep our community running - maintaining roads, caring for parks and helping deliver important local services. Four bylaw officers including chief bylaw officer provide such services as community safety, municipal bylaw enforcement (parking, animal control, noise, illegal dumping, unsightly properties) and respond to general inquiries.

  • Did you know: the City’s bylaw services are just 1% of general fund, about 72 cents per person per week.

HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR PROPERTY TAXES 

Just 46% of taxes collected are kept for City of Parksville services with the remaining 54% collected on behalf of the Regional District of Nanaimo, Regional Hospital, RDN wastewater, library, and school taxes.

TAXES SUPPORT PARKSVILLE FIRE

Your property taxes support the Parksville Fire Rescue - 4.9% of general fund expenditures or about $2.41 per person per week in Parksville. It’s fire suppression, response for medical calls, technical rescue and disasters, fire prevention, fire and life safety inspections, and fire investigation reporting. Assets used to provide these services would be the Parksville firehall, training facility, six fire trucks/apparatus, support vehicles, and other equipment.

WHAT WILL I PAY?

As determined by BC Assessment, the average residential Parksville property increased in assessed market value by 2% for 2026. The average residential Parksville home had an assessed value of about $766,900 in 2026. With this 2% increase in value, the average home would see $150 increase in municipal portion of property tax. If your assessment increased by more than 2%, your property taxes will increase by a higher amount.

HOW ARE PROPERTY TAXES CALCULATED? 

Property taxes are based on the assessed value of the property being taxed. Property taxes help fund roads, schools, police and fire protection, parks, and more. The amount you'll pay in annual property taxes depends on the assessed value of your property.

POLICING COSTS SIMPLIFIED

RCMP Oceanside detachment provides services such as community safety, crime investigation, emergency response, community event support, traffic patrol, and much more with 18 officers and 4 municipal ‘civilian’ support staff. 7.5% of the City’s general fund is allocated to the cost of policing – about $5.56 per person per week.

EMERGENCY PROGRAM

50 cents per person per week is the cost to taxpayers for emergency program services which include planning and preparedness, response and recovery coordination, volunteer coordination, supplies for evacuation/shelter, and working with Emergency Management Oceanside. The City has a program coordinator and parttime volunteer coordinator. Program assets are vehicles, emergency services trailers (including for pets), communication equipment.