Bureaucracy Over Basics: An Examination of Regional District Spending Growth

This report dives into BC’s regional district spending growth since 2018, with a focus on the growing cost of bureaucracy and lack of oversight mechanisms. Its main findings reveal varying administrative spending between regional districts that, on average, largely outpace major economic benchmarks. The result of these trends is higher taxes for small businesses at a time when they can least afford it, especially while facing US tariffs.

CFIB’s main recommendations include urging regional districts to align their spending with sustainable benchmarks and prioritize small business needs. Additionally, CFIB recommends more provincial oversight to hold local governments accountable through the reinstatement of the Auditor General for Local Government.