Following is a letter to Burnaby residents from Mayor Mike Hurley
The State of the City address plays an important role each year—updating Burnaby's business community on the progress being made across our city while setting out a clear strategy for the future.
This year marked my eighth address as Mayor, and it remains an important opportunity to take stock of where Burnaby stands today and where we are headed. Hosted by the Burnaby Board of Trade, Monday's address was once again a sold-out event at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Burnaby Conference Centre.
The audience reflected the breadth of our community, bringing together leaders from across Burnaby’s major employers and local businesses, institutions, public services, non-profit sector and government. It was a reminder that shaping the future of a city depends on bringing together a wide range of experiences and perspectives.
The City's guests receiving special mention at the event were the volunteers behind Burnaby Central Railway, who for more than 30 years have represented the very best of Burnaby—a community-driven, volunteer-powered initiative that brings people together in one of our most cherished public spaces, Confederation Park.
We were also pleased to recognize departing councillors Sav Dhaliwal and Pietro Calendino after more than two decades of service to Burnaby, along with Alison Gu, who made history as the youngest City Councillor ever elected in Burnaby.
Leading the way
This year's theme, Leading the Way, reflected how Burnaby continues to grow, evolve and position itself at the heart of the Lower Mainland.
The message was clear: Burnaby is leading the way by building a strong and resilient local economy while making record investments in civic infrastructure. At the same time, we are expanding housing and childcare opportunities and continuing to strengthen public safety.
Leading during challenging times is not about doing less. It is about managing finances responsibly so the city can continue investing in what matters most.
That means taking a proactive approach—renewing community centres before they are forced to close, repairing roads before potholes become hazards and maintaining a balanced approach to taxation so residents are not faced with sudden increases or greater costs down the road.
Even as Burnaby faces challenges that extend beyond our borders, we continue to demonstrate what can be achieved when communities come together to deliver results for the people who call this city home.
When we focus on practical solutions, commit to strong advocacy, embrace innovation, and continually challenge ourselves to do better, that is how we lead the way.
Record investment in civic infrastructure
At the address, we provided an update on several major projects that are now past the halfway point and ahead of schedule, including the Burnaby Lake Recreation Centre, Cameron Community Centre and Library and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts theatre and studio redevelopment.
Turning record period of capital investment into lasting lessons for Burnaby
These are essential large-scale replacements and expansions needed to keep pace with a growing city. They were long overdue and simply had to move forward.
Burnaby is leading the way through this record level of investment in civic infrastructure—the largest capital program in our city's history and one of the most significant municipal investments in community facilities anywhere in Canada.
Projects such as the Burnaby Lake Recreation Centre—set to become one of the largest aquatic and recreation facilities in Western Canada—and the replacement Cameron Community Centre and Library, which will be among the largest community centres in Western Canada, demonstrate the scale of this investment.
Public safety and innovation
We also reflected on the significant rise in natural disasters and recovery costs across Canada over the past two decades, highlighting the importance of investing in preparedness, not simply response. This is another way Burnaby is leading the way.
The City has partnered with Simon Fraser University to implement an early wildfire detection system on Burnaby Mountain. Using sensors and real-time monitoring, the system can detect heat and smoke before emergency calls are received, giving first responders a critical head start. We also heard how the technology was successfully used for the first time last month, operating exactly as intended.
Meanwhile, construction of the new RCMP Community Safety Building is now more than halfway complete. It will replace the current facility, built in 1967, providing modern infrastructure for one of the largest RCMP detachments in Canada. Like many of the projects currently underway, it is another example of critical infrastructure that had to be replaced.
Economic resilience and growth
The Mayor's Task Force on Economic Growth and Resilience has been a central part of Burnaby's strategy this year. Bringing together leaders from a wide range of sectors, the task force focused on strengthening the local economy in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Through a video played at the event, we heard directly from task force participants, who highlighted why this collaborative approach was effective and shared key insights from the process.
The task force concluded its work at the end of May, and its final report will be released in the coming weeks. The recommendations will help inform a new economic strategy for the City as we continue positioning Burnaby for long-term success.
Housing affordability and advocacy
Housing affordability remains one of the most significant challenges facing communities across British Columbia, and Burnaby continues to pursue innovative ways to increase housing options for residents.
The City created the Burnaby Housing Authority Corporation as a municipal housing authority to help deliver more secure, purpose-built housing in Burnaby, including market and non-market rental housing, while also exploring opportunities for non-market homeownership. Able to act like a developer while delivering housing for public benefit, the Authority helps address gaps in Burnaby's housing supply through a nimble and innovative approach.
Short-term thinking risks long-term consequences for affordable housing in Burnaby
Work is now underway on its first two approved projects, which will deliver 387 new rental homes across Burnaby, including 183 rental townhomes in partnership with Mosaic. These projects will help meet growing demand, particularly from families looking to remain in the community they call home.
This work is progressing against the backdrop of the Province's one-size-fits-all approach to housing through Bill 44 and the decision in BC Budget 2026 to indefinitely pause new funding applications through BC Housing's Community Housing Fund program. While municipalities cannot solve housing affordability on their own, Burnaby remains committed to collaborative, innovative, and locally driven solutions that reflect the unique needs of our community.
A balanced financial approach
Burnaby continues to take a measured and disciplined approach to its finances during challenging economic times.
We explained how the City is using reserves and reserve funds as they were intended—to support major investments without placing sudden pressure on taxpayers. Whether established through provincial legislation, City bylaws, or Council policy designation, reserves and reserve funds are restricted to their designated purposes and cannot simply be redirected to balance budgets or reduce taxes.
Burnaby's disciplined and sustainable use of reserves and reserve funds has allowed us to invest at historic levels while consistently maintaining one of the lowest property tax increases in the region.
A comparison of per-capita debt levels across Metro Vancouver municipalities on the big screens made the picture clear: Burnaby remains one of the best-managed and most financially responsible cities in the region.
How Burnaby is funding growth through the responsible use of reserves
As we told attendees, we are creating a future for everyone. One that doesn’t pit renters against homeowners or drivers against cyclists. It means a senior can afford to stay in their neighbourhood, a parent can find childcare, a young adult can see a future here.
That’s the Burnaby we’re building—sustainably, on time, on budget, together. A balanced approach, in a complex and ever-changing environment. Ultimately, that is how we are leading the way.
Burnaby as a destination for World Cup, sport, culture & food—with Tourism Burnaby CEO Chris Peters
