'We owe it to taxpayers to ensure their money is treated with respect': Vancouver announces new task force

Vancouver is getting a new task force to ensure the money of taxpayers is being spent effectively and efficiently, the mayor announced Monday.

The creation of The Mayor’s Budget Task Force comes nearly five weeks after the city approved an operating budget for 2023 totalling $1.97 billion, and a property tax increase of 10.7 per cent.

“We owe it to taxpayers to ensure their money is treated with respect,” Sim said in the statement.

Included in the budget is $401.8 million for the Vancouver Police Department, but the force does not fall under the scope of this new task force, nor will the Vancouver Public Library or the Vancouver Parks Board.

“Areas of concern around deferred maintenance, unfunded liabilities, CAPEX, pensions, and equipment replacement costs,” are listed as things the task force will identify. 

Ken Sim says the task force will be a volunteer based team of CFAs and CPAs, as well as three advisors and two council representatives.

“This perspectives and expertise will be an invaluable asset as we look to the future of our city’s finances,” Sim wrote in a release Monday.

The team will be led by Randy Pratt, the president of Nampa Enterprises, and includes Calvin Buss, Tom Chambers, Vincent Lok and Lisa Stewart.

Former Musqueam Councillor Wade Grant will serve as one of the advisors to the task force, which he describes as “a positive step forward to ensure the city is making the best possible use of taxpayer dollars,” in Monday’s statement.

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade president and CEO Bridgette Anderson and BC Ferries Board Chair Joy MacPhail will be the other two advisors.

“It’s critical that the city work to ensure that tax rates are affordable and regulations are streamlined to reduce unnecessary burdens, allowing the creation of jobs and businesses to grow, ensuring our city is thriving,” Anderson said Monday.

ABC Party Councillors Lenny Zhou and Brian Montague will represent City Hall on the task force, which is due to report back to council with recommendations by October 2023.

One City Coun. Christine Boyle says she supports the task force, but wants to see the scope of its work expanded.

“Specifically: I think the scope should rule out cuts to frontline services, and look at ways to generate revenue to improve them,” Boyle said in her own news release Monday.

She also called for reviews of recent infrastructure decisions at the Vancouver Park Board, as well as recent investments in the VPD.

“Our public safety problems are too dire to just assume what we are doing is working,” Boyle wrote. “If they’re working, great. If not, we need to look at other approaches.”