The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George Board of Directors approved the 2026 Operating Budget and Five-Year Financial Plan at their March 19 meeting.
Revenue sources
The 2026 operating and capital expenditures total $62.8 million and $25.6 million of that is funded by property taxes, which is an increase of $1,410,417 or 5.82% when compared to 2025. Most of the other budget funding comes from grants, user fees and reserve funds.
$62,814,138 in total revenue
Expenses
The significant budget expenses are $19.6 million for Environmental Health, $13.0 million for Public Health and Welfare, $9.9 million for Protective Services and $11.6 million for General Government.
$62,814,138 in total expenses
"The 2026 budget focuses on keeping essential services reliable and sustainable,” said Regional District Board Chair Lara Beckett. “It supports ongoing maintenance, regulatory compliance, and strategic investments in services like solid waste management and 9‑1‑1 emergency response to ensure that residents' needs are met."
Beckett explains that an increase or decrease in the Regional District’s tax requisition does not always reflect what residents see on their tax bills. Tax impacts are different in every community based on local services, property assessment changes, and how costs are shared between residential and commercial properties. This means that even if the tax rate decreases, some homeowners may still pay more because property values have increased. Across the region, property assessments rose by an average of 3.75% so the overall amount residents are taxed on may have increased.
Tax rates
| Area | 2026 tax rate | 2025 tax rate | increase/(decrease) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Prince George | $44.55 | $43.55 | $1.00 | 2.30% |
| District of Mackenzie | $48.82 | $47.98 | $0.84 | 1.75% |
| Village of McBride | $323.04 | $309.47 | $13.57 | 4.38% |
| Village of Valemount | $185.54 | $182.49 | $3.05 | 1.67% |
| Electoral Area A (Salmon River-Lakes) | $94.41 | $92.56 | $1.85 | 2.00% |
| Electoral Area C (Chilako River-Nechako) | $103.75 | $102.58 | $1.17 | 1.14% |
| Electoral Area D (Tabor Lake-Stone Creek) | $105.55 | $104.92 | $0.63 | 0.60% |
| Electoral Area E (Woodpecker-Hixon) | $114.45 | $118.92 | ($4.47) | (3.76)% |
| Electoral Area F (Willow River-Upper Fraser Valley) | $112.88 | $107.49 | $5.39 | 5.01% |
| Electoral Area G (Crooked River-Parsnip) | $84.98 | $83.25 | $1.73 | 2.08% |
| Electoral Area H (Robson Valley-Canoe) | 97.88 | $95.20 | $2.68 | 2.81% |
- Tax rates are per $100,000 of residential property assessment.
- Residents' tax rates vary depending on the services they participate in and the changes to the approved budgets for those services. Changes to property assessments also impact participants' share of taxes.
- Amounts shown for electoral areas are for the services paid for by the whole area and do not include local services that are only in part of the area.