Residents in Port Alberni, British Columbia, are raising concerns about a 91 per cent increase in administrative spending by the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. A report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that the growth in these management costs between 2018 and 2025 was among the highest in the province.
The report identified the regional district as one of the least efficient in British Columbia. It noted that the increase in office and bureaucratic costs has moved much faster than the growth of the local population or the rate of inflation.
These findings follow the district board’s approval of a 7 per cent property tax increase for the 2025 fiscal year. Many taxpayers are worried that the rising cost of running the local government is becoming difficult for residents and small businesses to afford.
On social media, members of the AV Taxpayers group are using the report to call for more transparency in how tax dollars are spent. They are asking the district board for better fiscal management and a closer look at operational expenses.
The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District is governed by a board of directors that sets the annual budget and creates five-year financial plans. The district oversees services for several communities, including Port Alberni, Tofino, and Ucluelet.
