Municipal Taxation Survey for the Vancouver Board of Trade

Date: 2005

EcoPlan assisted with a project for the Vancouver Board of Trade to carry out a comparative analysis of municipal revenue bases in North American Cities. With an eye to potential municipal finance reform in Canadian municipalities, the study analyzed the municipal revenue base in Canada, reviewed key legislation and policy, and identified property tax innovations and alternative taxation mechanisms. It also included a case study of Winnipeg’s proposed New Deal, an innovative municipal tax reform program which could have significantly reduced property taxes in exchange for “right priced” user fees and alternative taxes.