{
  "id": "city-spending-per-resident",
  "parent": "property-tax-vs-inflation",
  "category": "City finances",
  "title": "City spending per resident",
  "geography": "City of Victoria (municipality)",
  "scope": "city",
  "levels": [
    "Municipal (City budget)"
  ],
  "plain_question": "How much did the City spend in the year, for each person living in Victoria?",
  "value": 3208,
  "display_value": "$3,208",
  "unit": "per resident a year",
  "period": "Calendar year 2025",
  "period_start": "2025-01-01",
  "period_end": "2025-12-31",
  "comparison": {
    "previous_period": "2024",
    "previous_value": 3001,
    "change_percent": 6.9
  },
  "since_text": "Was $3,001 in 2024 and $2,251 in 2021. In 2025 dollars, 2021 was $2,618",
  "trend": "context",
  "trend_basis": "Total expenses of $333.3 million for 103,888 residents in 2025 ($3,208 each), compared with $3,001 in 2024 (+6.9%) and $2,251 in 2021. After inflation (Victoria consumer price index), 2021 spending per resident equals $2,618 in 2025 dollars (+22.5% since 2021).",
  "direction_good": "down",
  "right_direction": "Shown for context, without a “better” or “worse” label: spending pays for services, and this site takes no position on the right level.",
  "caveats": [
    "Calculated here: total expenses from the City's audited consolidated statements, divided by the population figure printed in the same report (BC Stats estimate).",
    "Expenses are on an accrual basis and include amortization of roads, buildings and equipment, police, and the water and sewer utilities. Capital spending is not counted directly.",
    "Comparisons between cities need care: services provided by the City in Victoria may be provided by the region or the Province elsewhere.",
    "The inflation-adjusted line uses Statistics Canada's annual average price index for Victoria."
  ],
  "charts": [
    {
      "title": "City spending per resident",
      "fmt": "money",
      "unit": "",
      "lines": [
        {
          "name": "As spent",
          "area": "city",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 2251
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 2478
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 2740
            },
            {
              "period": "2024",
              "value": 3001
            },
            {
              "period": "2025",
              "value": 3208
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "name": "In 2025 dollars",
          "area": "city",
          "series": [
            {
              "period": "2021",
              "value": 2618
            },
            {
              "period": "2022",
              "value": 2695
            },
            {
              "period": "2023",
              "value": 2873
            },
            {
              "period": "2024",
              "value": 3070
            },
            {
              "period": "2025",
              "value": 3208
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "calc": {
    "formula": "Spending per resident = total expenses ÷ population. In today's dollars = spending per resident × price index (latest year) ÷ price index (that year).",
    "steps": [
      "2023: $275,501,000 ÷ 100,552 = $2,740.",
      "2024: $309,297,000 ÷ 103,077 = $3,001.",
      "2025: $333,268,000 ÷ 103,888 = $3,208."
    ],
    "inputs": [
      {
        "name": "Annual Report, Statistics section: total expenses and population",
        "agency": "City of Victoria (Annual Report)",
        "url": "https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/annual-report-2025",
        "dataset_url": "https://www.victoria.ca/city-government/corporate-strategic-plan/annual-report",
        "period": "2021 to 2025",
        "licence": {
          "name": "Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution.",
          "url": "https://www.victoria.ca/legal-disclaimer",
          "open": false
        },
        "data_published": "2025-07-01"
      },
      {
        "name": "Consumer Price Index, all items, annual average, Victoria",
        "agency": "Statistics Canada",
        "url": "https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1810000501",
        "dataset_url": "https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/4be5f92b-8546-4e76-ad98-bcf9d4b8aeed",
        "table": "18-10-0005-01",
        "period": "2021 to 2025",
        "data_published": "",
        "licence": {
          "name": "Open Government Licence - Canada",
          "url": "https://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada"
        },
        "attribution": "Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product."
      }
    ]
  },
  "refresh_frequency": "Annually (audited report published mid-year)",
  "verified_text": [
    "Population 96,277 98,540 100,552 103,077 103,888",
    "Total expenses (in thousands): Sewer Utility 4,753 5,657 5,902 7,577 6,861 $ 216,693 $ 244,205 $ 275,501 $ 309,297 $ 333,268"
  ],
  "source": {
    "name": "Calculated here from City of Victoria (Annual Report) and Statistics Canada data",
    "url": "https://www.victoria.ca/media/file/annual-report-2025",
    "dataset_url": "https://www.victoria.ca/city-government/corporate-strategic-plan/annual-report"
  },
  "licence": {
    "name": "Public data, not under an open licence. Used with attribution.",
    "url": "https://www.victoria.ca/legal-disclaimer",
    "open": false
  },
  "derived": true,
  "retrieved_at": "2026-11-11T08:25:36Z",
  "data_published": "2025-07-01",
  "attribution": "Adapted from Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.",
  "series": [
    {
      "period": "2021",
      "value": 2251
    },
    {
      "period": "2022",
      "value": 2478
    },
    {
      "period": "2023",
      "value": 2740
    },
    {
      "period": "2024",
      "value": 3001
    },
    {
      "period": "2025",
      "value": 3208
    }
  ],
  "licence_type": "public"
}