Vancouver Police Board requests a $497 million budget for 2026 amid city-wide fiscal pressure and upcoming events.
Board’s move ahead of city draft budget
In Vancouver, the Vancouver Police Board (VPB) has formally approved a request for the 2026 fiscal year budget of just over CAD $497 million, representing a roughly CAD $50 million increase over the 2025 budget. The decision comes just two days before the city is slated to present its draft budget to the City of Vancouver Council.
Drivers behind the increase
The board’s staff outlined several factors driving the uptick: external cost escalations beyond the control of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), contractual obligations, protest-related policing costs and preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup event. Of the additional funds, about CAD $12 million is earmarked to maintain existing service levels, and approximately CAD $9 million is designated for under-funded core budget items.
Context of citywide fiscal tension
The request is unfolding in a climate of broader municipal tightening: the city’s mayor, Ken Sim, is advocating for a zero per cent property-tax increase, and various municipal departments—including parks—face possible cuts. Board chair Lorraine Lowe acknowledged the optics of the police budget rise, observing that “for the public … the optics are, ‘Oh, the police get everything they want.’”
Budget governance and internal oversight
While the board approved the request with minimal debate, internal members recognise certain risks: the VPD is already projected to be CAD $17 million over budget in 2025. Thus, questions around accountability, cost-control and prioritisation are coming to the fore. The CFO of the VPD, Nancy Eng, framed the request as “a balanced approach between the VPD’s needs and city-council fiscal constraints.”
Impact on other city services
One of the most significant concerns involves the proposed reductions elsewhere: the Vancouver Park Board is expected to absorb a CAD $15 million cut, roughly 12.5 per cent of its spending, prompting warnings from commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky that community-level services, maintenance and cleanliness in parks may suffer as a result. The contrast between increased policing funding and reductions in other civic services is drawing public scrutiny.
What happens next
With the city’s draft budget presentation imminent, the board’s request will enter as part of the broader deliberation. The Council must weigh competing priorities: balancing property-tax restraint, policing costs, community service funding and major event expenditures. Opposition or revisions are anticipated, given both the political climate and competing departmental demands.
Conclusion
The Vancouver Police Board’s push for a near-CAD $50 million budget increase for 2026 highlights the complex interplay between service demands, major event preparation, municipal fiscal discipline and public perceptions of equity across civic services. How the city ultimately reconciles these pressures will be a telling test of its budgetary direction ahead of next year’s major international event.
