COQUITLAM, B.C., November 2, 2026 – How should Coquitlam balance funding and service levels in the 2027 budget? Share your views in the City’s online budget survey, open until November 22 at LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca/budget. 

The annual budget survey is your chance to weigh in on service priorities for the City of Coquitlam. Because property taxes and utility fees fund the majority of City services, your feedback helps to strike the right balance between the levels of service you expect and the taxes and fees you are willing to pay. 

Balancing Costs and Community Needs

As Council and staff prepare the 2027 budget, our priority is to maintain essential City services, assets and infrastructure, while balancing affordability. This is not a "business-as-usual" budget. While the City’s strong financial foundation provides a level of resilience, the current economic environment demands difficult choices and a deliberate focus on affordability.

There are many factors the City considers when planning the budget. Like many communities across the province, City costs are on the rise — but they are different from household costs. While households are watching grocery, gas and housing prices, the City must manage the rising costs of labour, construction materials, utilities, insurance and asset maintenance.

Factors outside the City’s control, like market conditions and tariff uncertainty, also make it harder to predict and manage these costs. At the same time, responsibilities traditionally funded or delivered by the Province have been shifted to municipalities without the corresponding funding.

As the community grows, the City must also keep pace to deliver the essential services our residents rely on every day. Population growth brings an increased demand for infrastructure, public safety, recreation opportunities and community services.

While the City’s continued growth creates the need for new and expanded infrastructure, it also puts pressure on the existing infrastructure residents rely on every day, such as safe roads, reliable water, sewer and drainage systems, accessible community centres and well-maintained parks. The City must manage the rising costs of replacing the infrastructure needed to maintain essential services.

Why Your Input Matters

Coquitlam’s budget is developed over several months and is guided by Council-approved financial policies, principles and plans with feedback from the broader community — that’s you. Public participation plays a key role in shaping the City’s budget to reflect community priorities while addressing today’s economic challenges. 

Learn more about the City’s financial approach at coquitlam.ca/FinancialPlan. 

Explore Coquitlam’s Budget Data 

Residents interested in learning more about City spending can access Coquitlam OpenBook, a data visualization tool that allows users to explore City data through informational text and clickable maps, charts and graphs. 

For those who want a deeper look, OpenBook provides data on:

• 2026 – 2030 approved capital budgets, detailed by budget groups
• 2026 capital project explorer, including maps, budgets and background details on 16 major projects
• 2026 operating budget, broken down by department
• 2025 Annual Report, overview of expenses and revenues

For more information, visit LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca/budget or contact Financial Planning staff at FinancialPlanning@coquitlam.ca. 

Media contact:

Jamie Mahal
Senior Manager Financial Planning
media@coquitlam.ca 

We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ (HUN-kuh-MEE-num) word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-KWET-lum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the q̓ic̓əy̓ (kat-zee), and other Coast Salish Peoples.