Delta Council is raising awareness of the growing financial pressures placed on municipalities through downloaded responsibilities.
At its Regular Meeting on March 30, 2026, Council received a staff report outlining the significant and increasing costs associated with “downloading,” where federal and provincial governments shift responsibilities and costs for programs and services onto the City without providing adequate funding. The report was prepared following a unanimous Council resolution on January 19, 2026, requesting an assessment of these impacts.
The report identifies approximately $7 million in annual direct downloading costs, $10-$20 million in annual indirect downloading costs, and roughly $19 million in one-time direct and indirect downloading costs tied to recent projects.
“Delta Council is united in advocating for fairness when it comes to the financial responsibilities placed on local governments,” said Mayor George V. Harvie. “Our City and residents should not be expected to absorb the costs of these essential services that fall within provincial and federal mandates.”
Unlike federal and provincial governments, municipalities have limited tools to generate revenue. As support from senior governments has declined over time, the City has been required to step in to maintain services and fill gaps.
Direct downloading costs in Delta include funding pressures related to protective services ($3.8 million), health care ($1.4 million), social services and schools ($0.9 million), housing ($0.5 million), and other areas. Indirect downloading such as provincial legislation limiting the taxable value of designated port properties, results in an estimated $10 to $20 million in lost net property tax revenue annually.
This issue is not unique to Delta. Municipalities across British Columbia are facing similar challenges. On February 9, 2026, Delta Council endorsed a resolution through the Lower Mainland Local Government Association and the Union of BC Municipalities calling for action to reduce the financial burden of downloading.
Delta Council has directed staff to formally share the findings of this report with Premier David Eby and federal and provincial elected officials.
The Financial Impacts of Federal and Provincial Downloading report, which includes the breakdown of these direct and indirect costs, can be found here: https://pub-delta.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9233.
For more information on this news release, please contact media@delta.ca.