The City of Penticton’s 2026–2030 Draft Financial and Corporate Business Plan reflects Council’s continued commitment to building a community that is safe, livable and vibrant. Proposed investments include additional public safety personnel, enhanced bylaw and clean team resources, as well as ongoing implementation of the CommuniTREE Plan to support a greener, more resilient city.
“The 2026 draft budget builds on the momentum of previous years, with targeted investments that respond directly to community priorities,” says Angela Campbell, the City’s general manager of corporate services. “Council’s direction is clear: We are investing in the people, places and programs that make Penticton a great place to live.”
Key public safety investments proposed in the 2026 budget include:
- Hiring two additional firefighters to support fire response and prevention.
- Adding one RCMP public service employee as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst to support criminal investigations.
- Increasing bylaw enforcement resources to support community standards.
- Expanding the Clean Team to enhance cleanliness and livability in public spaces.
The budget also continues the implementation of the CommuniTREE Plan, a long-term strategy to grow and protect Penticton’s urban forest, contributing to climate resilience and community wellbeing.
To support these and other strategic initiatives, the proposed 2026 budget includes a 6.26 per cent tax increase, which equates to approximately $12 per month for the average residential taxpayer.
This increase reflects inflationary pressures and the cost of expanding services to meet community needs.
As part of the City’s rigorous review process, a reduction of $600k was made, which equates to 1.2 per cent. This is in addition to the 2.4 per cent that was reduced in the 2025 budget through the same process.
Other highlights of the draft budget include:
- Continued investment in aging infrastructure and utility upgrades, like the fire hall renewals and arenas.
- Supporting the Vees transition to a WHL team.
- Support for community vibrancy through events and public space improvements.
- Advancing Council’s priorities for housing, accessibility and sustainability.
The full proposed 2025 Financial and Corporate Business Plan, including a complete listing of all the capital spending, utility costs and other expenditures, is available at penticton.ca/budget-talks.
Residents are encouraged to review the full draft 2026–2030 Financial and Corporate Business Plan and share their feedback.
How can I participate?
- Starting Oct.21, visit shapeyourcitypenticton.ca or stop by City Hall to review the draft budget and provide feedback online or via hard copy.
- Attend the Council Open House on Oct. 29 at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to speak with Council and staff. Families welcome!
- Submit your feedback by Nov. 5, either online or in person. All input will be shared with Council ahead of budget deliberations, which begin Nov. 18.
The feedback gathered will be shared with Council at the start of budget deliberations, which start on Nov. 18. All information about the budget and opportunities to share feedback are at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca. Feedback will be collected until Nov. 5, 2025.