Terms of Use

Last updated: February 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using BC Municipal Benchmarks at bcbenchmarks.ca (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time, and changes will be effective upon posting to this page.

2. Description of Service

The Site provides a free, publicly accessible dashboard that presents municipal fiscal data for British Columbia municipalities in a benchmarked, comparative format. The data is derived from publicly available sources published by the Province of British Columbia, specifically BC Local Government Statistics from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

The Site is provided "as is" for informational and educational purposes only.

3. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL DATA, CONTENT, AND MATERIALS PROVIDED ON IT ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that:

  • The data presented is complete, accurate, current, or error-free
  • The Site will be available at all times without interruption
  • Any errors or defects will be corrected
  • The Site is free of viruses or other harmful components

4. Data Accuracy and Limitations

While we make reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the data presented, the following limitations apply:

  • All data is derived from publicly published government sources and may contain errors present in the original source material.
  • Calculated metrics (percentiles, rankings, averages, traffic light indicators) are computed using methodologies described on our Methodology page and may not reflect the full context of a municipality's fiscal situation.
  • Data reflects a single reporting year and does not capture trends, seasonal variations, or extraordinary circumstances.
  • Per-capita normalization does not account for differences in municipal service scope, regional cost differences, or other contextual factors.
  • Traffic light indicators (green, yellow, red) describe relative position within a peer group, not absolute fiscal quality. A "red" indicator does not necessarily mean a municipality is in fiscal distress.

5. Not Professional Advice

The content on this Site does not constitute financial, legal, accounting, tax, investment, or other professional advice. The Site is intended as an informational resource only. Users should not rely solely on the data or analysis presented here when making policy decisions, investment decisions, or other consequential choices.

Municipal officials, investors, journalists, and other users are encouraged to consult the original source data, engage qualified professionals, and conduct their own due diligence before acting on any information found on this Site.

6. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, BC MUNICIPAL BENCHMARKS, ITS OPERATORS, AFFILIATES, AND CONTRIBUTORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM:

  • Your use of or inability to use the Site
  • Any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in the data or content
  • Any unauthorized access to or alteration of the Site
  • Any decisions made or actions taken based on information provided by the Site

7. Intellectual Property

The underlying municipal fiscal data is public record published by the Province of British Columbia and is not subject to our copyright. However, the Site's design, layout, compiled datasets, computed metrics, insight text, code, and other original content are protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights.

You may freely share links to any page on the Site. You may reference or cite data from the Site with appropriate attribution to both this Site and the original source (BC Local Government Statistics). You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from the Site's design, code, or compiled datasets without written permission.

8. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Site in any way that could damage, disable, or impair it
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site's systems or networks
  • Use automated tools to scrape, crawl, or download the Site's content in bulk without permission
  • Misrepresent data from the Site or use it in a misleading manner
  • Use the Site for any unlawful purpose

9. Links to Third-Party Sites

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or resources. These links are provided for convenience only. We do not endorse and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party sites. Your use of third-party sites is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those sites.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BC Municipal Benchmarks, its operators, affiliates, and contributors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or related to your use of the Site or violation of these Terms.

11. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia.

12. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.

13. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us at:

BC Municipal Benchmarks
Email: legal@bcbenchmarks.ca